Hierarchical core/shell titanium dioxide/molybdenum disulfide nanosheets coupled with carbon architecture for superior lithium/sodium ion storage

The peculiar core/shell structure with abundant interfaces is favorable for Li⁺/Na⁺ storage, which can elevate the efficiency of energy storage and conversion. Herein, a unique core/shell structure composite with diverse interfaces was successfully designed and fabricated via a facile coordination reaction combined with thermal treatment. Specially, well-crystallized TiO₂ nanoparticles were encapsulated and embedded in carbon nanospheres wrapped with MoS₂ nanosheets, leading to abundant interfacial structure and boundaries. Benefitting from the synergistic effect between numerous interfaces and distinctive hierarchal core/shell structure, such a hybrid material possesses fascinating features including ultrafast ion diffusion, plentiful storage active sites and prominent electric conductivity. As a proof of concept, as-prepared samples demonstrated superior reversible lithium storage capacity and hybrid lithium-ion capacitor. What is more, when the material was acted as anode material for SIBs, the discharge capacity maintained at a high capacity of 267.2 mA h g⁻¹ after 1000 cycles at 2.0 A g⁻¹. This work highlights a convenient strategy to synthesize other hybrid materials for electrode materials of energy storage and conversion applications.