Layer-Spacing-Enlarged MoS2 Superstructural Nanotubes with Further Enhanced Catalysis and Immobilization for Li-S Batteries

Yuelei Pan; Lunlun Gong; Xudong Cheng; Yong Zhou; Yanbao Fu; Jun Feng; Hoda Ahmed; Heping Zhang

doi:10.1021/acsnano.0c01124

Layer-Spacing-Enlarged MoS₂ Superstructural Nanotubes with Further Enhanced Catalysis and Immobilization for Li-S Batteries

ACS Nano. 2020 May 26;14(5):5917-5925. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.0c01124. Epub 2020 Apr 28.

Authors

Yuelei Pan¹, Lunlun Gong¹, Xudong Cheng¹, Yong Zhou¹, Yanbao Fu², Jun Feng³, Hoda Ahmed², Heping Zhang¹

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, P.R. China.
² Energy Storage and Distributed Resources Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States.
³ Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States.

PMID: 32330003
DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c01124

Abstract

A layer-spacing-enlarged MoS₂ nanotube (LE-MoS₂) consisting of hierarchical superstructural nanosheets (-MoS₂-carbon layer-MoS₂-) was fabricated and served as the sulfur host. The (002) lattice plane of LE-MoS₂ is greatly expanded to 1.04 nm and 67.7% higher than that of the conventional 2H-MoS₂. Benefitting from the layer-spacing-enlarged hierarchical superstructure of LE-MoS₂, the catalytic effect on the S_(s)-Li₂S_x (soluble, x > 6)-Li₂S_y (soluble, y > 2)-Li₂S_(s) phase transformation kinetics and immobilizing effect on the soluble Li₂S_y in Li-S batteries are both further enhanced and demonstrated by in situ X-ray adsorption near-edge structure spectroscopy and first-principles calculations. The formation of hierarchical superstructural nanosheets was carefully investigated by customized synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometry.

Keywords: electrochemical catalyst; enlarged layer spacing; high-loading electrode; lithium−sulfur batteries; molybdenum disulfide.