In Situ Construction of 3D Interconnected FeS@Fe3C@ Graphitic Carbon Networks for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries

Iron sulfides have been attracting great attention as anode materials for high-performance rechargeable sodium-ion batteries due to their high theoretical capacity and low cost. In practice, however, they deliver unsatisfactory performance because of their intrinsically low conductivity and volume expansion during charge-discharge processes. Here, a facile in situ synthesis of a 3D interconnected FeS@Fe3C@graphitic carbon (FeS@Fe3C@GC) composite via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) followed by a sulfuration strategy is developed. The construction of the double-layered Fe3C/GC shell and the integral 3D GC network benefits from the catalytic effect of iron (or iron oxides) during the CVD process. The unique nanostructure offers fast electron/Na ion transport pathways and exhibits outstanding structural stability, ensuring fast kinetics and long cycle life of the FeS@Fe3C@ GC electrodes for sodium storage. A similar process can be applied for the fabrication of various metal oxide/carbon and metal sulfide/carbon electrode materials for high-performance lithium/sodium-ion batteries.