Salt-templating protocol to realize few-layered ultrasmall MoS2 nanosheets inlayed into carbon frameworks for superior lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

The preparation of few-layered ultrasmall MoS2 nanosheets inlayed into carbon frameworks is challenging to date. Herein, we realize the synthesis of such meaningful nanohybrids (labeled as MoS2/CFs hybrids) by a simple salt-templating protocol, where NaCl particles are chosen as a sacrificial template to grow MoS2 crystals on the surface during the glucose carbonization, which meanwhile effectively inhibits their growth and stacking. In regard to electrochemical energy storage and conversion, the resulting MoS2/CFs hybrids are beneficial for providing substantial and accessible electroactive sites as well as rapid electrons/ions transfer. The present hybrids, when applied as lithium-ion batteries anode materials, exhibit a remarkably enhanced reversible specific capacity as high as 1083.5 mAh g(-1) at 200 mA g(-1) with fast charge/discharge capability (465.4 mAh g(-1) at 6400 mA g(-1)), which is much higher than the exfoliated MoS2 nanosheets (only 97.6 mAh g(-1) at 6400 mA g(-1)) and the commercial graphite. More impressively, our MoS2/CFs hybrids simultaneously possess a superior cycle life with negligible capacity loss after 400 cycles at 1600 mA g(-1) In addition to the excellent lithium ion storage, our MoS2/CFs hybrids may concurrently exhibit some intriguing properties for applications in other energy-related fields.