Smart Construction of MoS₂ on Carbon Cloth Flexible Electrodes as High-Performance Anode for Lithium-Ion and Sodium-Ion Batteries

Abstract

A self-supporting flexible electrode, composed of 1T phase MoS₂ nanosheets synthesized on carbon cloth, was fabricated using a one-step hydrothermal method. This electrode material exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance when utilized as the anode for both lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries. In lithium-ion batteries, a capacity of approximately 600 mAh g⁻¹ is retained after 150 cycles at a current density of 0.1 A g⁻¹. In sodium-ion batteries, a high capacity of 500 mAh g⁻¹ is sustained even after 100 cycles. Compared to both powder MoS₂ and carbon cloth with MoS₂ that has been grown and treated through annealing, the self-supporting flexible electrodes demonstrate enhanced electrochemical performance. This enhanced performance can be attributed to the carbon cloth substrate, which significantly enhances the stability and conductivity of MoS₂. In contrast, annealing induces a transformation of 1T-phase MoS₂ into the more stable yet less conductive 2H phase, thereby diminishing its electrochemical efficiency. This underscores the benefits of the unannealed MoS₂-carbon cloth composite material.