A Biconcave-Alleviated Strategy to Construct Aspergillus niger-Derived Carbon/MoS2 for Ultrastable Sodium Ion Storage

Two-dimensional layered materials commonly face hindered electron transfer and poor structure stability, thus limiting their application in high-rate and long-term sodium ion batteries. In the current study, we adopt finite element simulation to guide the rational design of nanostructures. By calculating the von Mises stress distribution of a series of carbon materials, we find that the hollow biconcave structure could effectively alleviate the stress concentration resulting from expansion. Accordingly, we propose a biconcave-alleviated strategy based on the Aspergillus niger-derived carbon (ANDC) to construct ANDC/MoS2 with a hollow biconcave structure. The ANDC/MoS2 is endowed with an excellent long-term cyclability as an anode of sodium ion batteries, delivering a discharge capacity of 496 mAh g(-1) after 1000 cycles at 1 A g(-1). A capacity retention rate of 94.5% is achieved, an increase of almost seven times compared with the bare MoS2 nanosheets. Even at a high current density of 5 A g(-1), a reversible discharge capacity around 400 mAh g(-1) is maintained after 300 cycles. ANDC/MoS2 could also be used for efficient lithium storage. By using in situ TEM, we further reveal that the hollow biconcave structure of ANDC/MoS2 has enabled stable and fast sodiation/desodiation.

Automated summary

Finite element simulation was used to guide the rational design of nanostructures, showing that the hollow biconcave structure effectively alleviates stress concentration. A biconcave-alleviated strategy was proposed based on Aspergillus niger-derived carbon (ANDC), leading to the construction of ANDC/MoS2 with a hollow biconcave structure. The ANDC/MoS2 exhibited excellent long-term cyclability as a sodium ion battery anode with a discharge capacity of 496 mAh g(-1) after 1000 cycles at 1 A g(-1), showcasing a capacity retention rate of 94.5%.