l-Ascorbic Acid-Assistant Synthesis of Molybdenum Disulfide with Varied Morphologies for Accelerating Electrochemical Kinetics in Zinc-Ion Batteries

The two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) with a layered structure is a prevalent material for aqueous zinc-ion batteries. However, the intercalation of zinc ions can be hindered by high energy barriers, resulting in sluggish electrochemical kinetics and reduced capacity. In this study, MoS 2 with varied morphologies are synthesized utilizing l -ascorbic acid, which significantly influences the formation of MoS 2, yielding smaller nanoflowers with increased surface area and sulfur vacancies. Consequently, a MoS 2 electrode with a surface area of 82.7 m 2 g –1 demonstrates enhanced rate capability and a higher specific capacity of 184.9 mA h g –1 at 0.1 A g –1 . At a current density of 5 A g –1, it maintains a capacity of 111.7 mA h g –1 . Furthermore, after 100 cycles at 5 A g –1, the capacity sustains at 91.4 mA h g –1, approximately three times that of the pristine MoS 2 electrode. Improved hydrophilicity, an enhanced Zn 2+ diffusion coefficient, and decreased internal resistance are likely to facilitate zinc-ion diffusion, thereby improving the electrochemical performance.