Significantly enhanced lithium storage by in situ grown CoS₂@MoS₂ core–shell nanorods anchored on carbon cloth

MoS₂ becomes one of the ideal anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of its unique two-dimensional layered structure and high theoretical capacity. However, the poor conductivity and volume change during reaction hinder its application. In this work, we demonstrate a two-step hydrothermal method to synthesis the unique structure of core–shell CoS₂@MoS₂ nanorods anchored on carbon cloth (CC). The one-dimensional Co(OH)₂ nanowire array on CC forms a carbon-based framework, which increases the reaction surface area for subsequent in situ generation of MoS₂. The MoS₂ layer with rich holes enhances lithium storage capacity and increases the active sites. Compared with pure MoS₂ electrode, CoS₂@MoS₂/CC (CMCC) exhibits a stronger electrochemical performance as a binder-free electrode for LIBs. The structure has a high discharge specific capacity of 1175 mA h g⁻¹ at the current density of 0.1 A g⁻¹. The further experiments prove that the CMCC structure has outstanding ion transport ability and low impedance characteristics, which are attributed to its special structure and the introduction of Co ions. The present work provides a new idea for the design of stable flexible electrode with high electrochemical performance for lithium-ion batteries.