In situ synthesis of concentric C@MoS2 core–shell nanospheres as anode for lithium ion battery

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a promising anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity, but it is suffered from intrinsically poor electronic/ionic conductivity and vast volume expansion/contraction during repeated charge–discharge process. In the present work, we report a spherical C@MoS2 nanocomposite as a high-performance anode for LIBs. The C@MoS2 nanocomposite with carbon nanosphere cores and ultrathin MoS2 nanosheet shells was prepared through an in situ solvothermal reaction, where carbon and MoS2 were simultaneously formed in one pot. The basal plane of MoS2 layer is highly parallel to the surface of carbon sphere, constructing a concentric nanostructure. This unique architecture can provide strong and stable interfacial contact between the MoS2 nanosheets and carbon and thus improve its structural stability and maximize the electrical contact. Owing to the effective combination and synergistic interaction of the two nanoscale phases, the C@MoS2 nanocomposite exhibited markedly enhanced performance with high rate capability and cycle stability for reversible Li+ storage.