Facile CVD Fabrication of Vertically Aligned MoS₂ Nanosheets with Embedded MoO₂ on Molybdenum for High-Performance...

The demand for compact energy storage devices necessitates the development of high-performance anode materials directly integrated with current collectors, minimizing or eliminating the need for binders or additives. With its layered structure and high theoretical capacity, molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) is regarded as a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Here, we report chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of self-integrated, vertically aligned MoS₂ nanosheets with embedded molybdenum dioxide (MoO₂) directly on a molybdenum foil and explore its potential as an anode material for LIBs. The results show that the formation of the MoO₂/MoS₂ hybrid structure occurs through partial conversion of the initially grown MoO₂ crystals to MoS₂ layers under controlled sulfurization reactions. The self-integrated hybrid material, devoid of additional conductive or binder agents, exhibits remarkably efficient transfer of ions and electrons, facilitated by the high electrical conductivity of MoO₂ and exposed active sites of MoS₂. Electrochemical studies reveal an impressive areal capacity of 253 μA h cm^-2 for the MoO₂/MoS₂ hybrid material on a molybdenum foil. In addition, the Li-ion diffusion coefficient value is estimated to be 0.798 × 10^-10 and 1.14 × 10^-10 cm²/s for the delithiation and lithiation processes, respectively. The capacity of LIBs can be significantly enhanced by engineering the MoO₂/MoS₂ anode material, making it a promising candidate for overcoming the limitations of single-anode materials. Our findings show that CVD can be a potential approach toward the fabrication of binder and conducting agent-free anodes directly on current collectors for advanced LIBs.