MoX₂ (X = O, S) Hierarchical Nanosheets Confined in Carbon Frameworks for Enhanced Lithium-Ion Storage

MoX2 (X = O, S) layered structures are promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries because of their intrinsically high theoretical capacity. Yet, the poor electrical conductivity and substantial volume change during reaction with Li+ ions greatly limit their practical application. This can be mitigated by developing a proper carbon framework for effective confinement of the growth of active materials. Herein, a universal carbon framework template has been exploited for the synthesis of thin MoX2 nanosheets encapsulated in mesoporous hollow carbon frameworks (MHCFs) by the confinement approach, forming a MoX2/C interconnected network. The porous hierarchical architectures offer sufficient void space for MoX2 nanosheets during the expansion process. Meanwhile, the confining effect of hollow carbon spheres can prevent aggregation and spreading out from the carbon of MoX2 nanosheets to guarantee high structural integrity upon cycling (638 mA h g–1 for MoO2/C at 1 A g–1 after the 1000th cycle and 525 mA h g–1 for MoS2/C after 200 at 1 A g–1).