Nanoflakes assembled hydrangea-like Fe2O3@C@MoS2@C nanocomposite as high performance anode materials for lithium/sodium ion batteries

A nanoflakes assembled hydrangea-like Fe2O3@C@MoS2@C has been synthesized as anode material for lithium/sodium ion battery via hydrothermal method. In the as-prepared nanocomposite, Fe2O3 possesses a hollow ring structure with size of 80 nm and MoS2 shows the flower-like nanosheet morphology with thickness of 40 nm. When used as anode material for lithium ion battery, the nanocomposite shows excellent cycling stability and rate performance. It delivers a high reversible capacity of 1078 mAh g(-1) after 200 cycles at a current density of 200 mA g(-1), and a discharge capacity of 536.7 mAh g(-1) even at a current density of 1000 mA g(-1). Employed as anode materials for sodium ion batteries, it also provides an excellent reversible capacity of 498 mAh g(-1) after 200 cycles at a current density of 200 mA g(-1). These excellent electrochemical performances can be attributed to the synergic effects of double carbon coating on the surface of Fe2O3 and MoS2, hollow ring of Fe2O3, and multi edge nanosheets of hydrangea-like MoS2. Double carbon layers can not only buffer huge volume change during Li/Na insertion/extraction process, but also enhance the electrical conductivity of Fe2O3 and MoS2. The multi-edged nanosheets of MoS2 are favorable for increasing Li/Na storage capacity of the nanocomposite. We believe that such nanocomposite of hollow rings of Fe2O3@C loaded with multi edged nanosheets of MoS2@C is a good candidate for high-performance lithium/sodium ion battery. (c) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.