Semimetallic vanadium molybdenum sulfide for high-performance battery electrodes

The ultrathin thickness and lateral morphology of a two dimensional (2D) MoS2 nanosheet contribute to its high surface-to-volume ratio and short diffusion path, rendering it a brilliant electrode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the low conductivity and easy restacking character of the pure MoS2 nanosheet during extended cycling result in severe capacity fading and poor cycling performance. In this work, we developed an attractive strategy by using a metal-doping method to engineer chemical, physical and electronic properties of MoS2, achieving an outstanding performance in LIBs. The computational results show that V–Mo–S has semimetallic properties. Semimetallic vanadium molybdenum sulfide nanoarrays (V–Mo–S NAs) were prepared to overcome the low conductivity of semiconducting MoS2 and thus further optimize its performance in LIBs. A reversible capacity as high as 1047 mA h g−1 was achieved at 1000 mA g−1. It also displayed an excellent stability even after 700 cycles. This fascinating study may pave a way for utilizing semimetallic material-based nanomaterials for batteries.