In situ synthesis of concentric C@MoS core-shell nanospheres as anode for lithium ion battery.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS) is a promising anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity, but it is suffered from intrinsically poor electronic/ionic conductivity and vast volume expansion/contraction during repeated charge-discharge process. In the present work, we report a spherical C@MoS nanocomposite as a high-performance anode for LIBs. The C@MoS nanocomposite with carbon nanosphere cores and ultrathin MoS nanosheet shells was prepared through an in situ solvothermal reaction, where carbon and MoS were simultaneously formed in one pot. The basal plane of MoS layer is highly parallel to the surface of carbon sphere, constructing a concentric nanostructure. This unique architecture can provide strong and stable interfacial contact between the MoS nanosheets and carbon and thus improve its structural stability and maximize the electrical contact. Owing to the effective combination and synergistic interaction of the two nanoscale phases, the C@MoS nanocomposite exhibited markedly enhanced performance with high rate capability and cycle stability for reversible Li storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]