Facilitated lithium storage in MoS2 overlayers supported on coaxial carbon nanotubes

The discoveries of carbon and inorganic fullerene-like nanotubes with a wide spectra of possible applications have stimulated multi- and interdisciplinary research activities. In this paper, we prepared MoS2 overlayers supported on coaxial carbon nanotubes and investigated lithium storage/release properties in relation to their structural properties. The coaxial nanoarchitecture was successfully synthesized by a designed solution-phase route in the low temperature range, which was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The reversible lithium-storage behaviors involved in the nanoarchitecture were elucidated by means of various techniques including galvanostatic methods, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). A thorough investigation of the composition-structure-property relationships of the coaxial nanoarchitecture highlighted the importance of the underlying carbon nanotubes in improving the lithium storage/release properties of the MoS2 sheath through a unique synergy at the nanoscale. This work should be notably significant for the design of new multifunctional nanoarchitectures by the wet-chemistry process, applicable for energy conversion and storage of the future.