One-pot facile fabrication of carbon-coated Bi sub(2)S sub(3) nanomeshes with efficient Li-storage capability

• Published in: Nano research Vol. 7; no. 5; pp. 765 - 773
• Main Authors: Zhao, Yang, Gao, Dongliang, Ni, Jiangfeng, Gao, Lijun, Yang, Juan, Li, Yan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.05.2014
• Subjects: Bismuth sulfides; Carbon; Conduction; Cycles; Discharge; Ion transport; Nanostructure; Strain
• ISSN: 1998-0124; 1998-0000
• DOI: 10.1007/s12274-014-0437-8

Layered bismuth sulfide (Bi sub(2)S sub(3)) has emerged as an important type of Li-storage material due to its high theoretical capacity and intriguing reaction mechanism. The engineering and fabrication of Bi sub(2)S sub(3) materials with large capacity and stable cyclability via a facile approach is essential, but still remains a great challenge. Herein, we employ a one-pot hydrothermal route to fabricate carbon-coated Bi sub(2)S sub(3) nanomeshes (Bi sub(2)S sub(3)/C) as an efficient Li-storage material. The nanomeshes serve as a highly conducting and porous scaffold facilitating electron and ion transport, while the carbon coating layer provides flexible space for efficient reduction of mechanical strain upon electrochemical cycling. Consequently, the fabricated Bi sub(2)S sub(3)/C exhibits a high and stable capacity delivery in the 0.01-2.5 V region, notably outperforming previously reported Bi sub(2)S sub(3) materials. It is able to discharge 472 mA.h.g super(-1) at 120 mA.g super(-1) over 50 full cycles, and to retain 301 mA.h.g super(-1) in the 40th cycle at 600 mA.g super(-1), demonstrating the potential of Bi sub(2)S sub(3) as electrode materials for rechargeable batteries. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]