Functional Polymer Coated MoS2 Nanocomposites as Promising Lithium Current Sources

Abstract

Two types of core - shell structure polymer-inorganic nanoparticles for effective $Li^{+}-$intercalation current generation were synthesized. MoS2 was nanoscale core coated with functional polymer via polymerization initiated from the particles surface using different macroinitiators. Both thermodynamic and kinetic peculiarities of intercalation processes were evaluated by the method of computer modeling of impedance spectroscopy experimental data. Dependences of 1) change in Gibbs’ free energy of the intercalation reaction, 2) Helmholtz’ capacity and 3) charge transfer resistance on the extent of “guest” lithium loading were analyzed. The electrochemical measurements revealed the dependences of above parameters of the intercalation process in core-shell MoS2 nanocomposites on macroinitiator nature. The distinctive feature of macroinitiator fluorine alkyl hydroxy acid was ability of synthesized material to ensure 1) the specific capacity in cathode processes up to $\sim$1936mAh/g and 2) diffusion coefficient of lithium cations up to more than twice.