Microwave-assisted synthesis of electrode materials for LIBs: MoS2/rGO heterostructures

The incomplete reduction of graphene oxide (GO) yields reduced graphene oxide (rGO), characterized by a zero band gap and intrinsic layer stacking, thus constraining its practical utility across diverse domains. Fortunately, this challenge can be effectively addressed by employing a suitable substrate for the fabrication of MoS₂/rGO heterostructures. Nanocomposites of MoS₂/reduced graphene oxide (MoS₂/rGO-700W and MoS₂/rGO-560W) were synthesized using MoS₂ and GO solutions as starting materials through microwave-assisted synthesis with microwave power treatments of 700W and 560W, respectively. Structural characterization results reveal that the particle size of MoS₂ within the composites is notably smaller compared to that of pure MoS₂. The MoS₂/rGO-700W composite demonstrates a more homogeneous dispersion of MoS₂ and features a well-developed hierarchical porous structure with increased pore volume and specific surface area. The MoS₂/rGO-700W composite demonstrates elevated I_D/I_G ratio, C/O ratio and C = C peak area, suggesting that increased microwave power enhances the removal of oxygen-containing groups from rGO. This process significantly restores the extended conjugated structure of graphene, thereby offering enhanced conductivity at the MoS₂ interface. Furthermore, the proposed strategy holds considerable theoretical value and provides significant insights for the development process of novel MoS₂-based composite electrode materials.