Mo-P bond-induced MoS₂ fast electron transfer improves the lithium storage performance of MoS₂-MoP heterojunction

Mo-based hybrids, including molybdenum oxide, molybdenum sulfide, and molybdenum carbide, have been extensively investigated as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their high theoretical electrochemical capacities compared to conventional carbon materials. However, molybdenum phosphide, which shows great promise as an anode material for LIBs, has been scarcely investigated to date. In this paper, two-dimensional (2D) mesoporous ultrasmall MoS₂-MoP heterostructured nanosheets/graphene hybrids (meso-MoS₂-MoP/G) were synthesized using a "nanocasting" method followed by a phosphidation treatment. The as-prepared 2D meso-MoS₂-MoP/G hybrid featured unique mesoporous structures with MoS₂-MoP heterojunctions vertically growing on the graphene nanosheet. Benefiting from its characteristic nanosheet morphology, abundant mesopores, high electrical conductivity, and the unique MoS₂-MoP heterostructure, the 2D meso-MoS₂-MoP/G hybrid demonstrated exceptional lithium storage performance as an anode material for LIBs in terms of specific capacity, cycling stability, and long cycle life. The specific capacity of 2D meso-MoS₂-MoP/G hybrid remained above 910.3 mA h g^-1 at a current density of 100 mA g^-1 after 50 cycles. Even at a high current density of 1 A g^-1, the 2D meso-MoS₂-MoP/G hybrid still delivered a remarkable discharge capacity of 863.9 mA h g^-1 with good cycling stability. This study provides an efficient approach to construct heterostructured nanosheets on 2D materials for high-performance LIBs.