Rationally Designed Three-Layered Cu2S@Carbon@MoS2 Hierarchical Nanoboxes for Efficient Sodium Storage

Hybrid materials, integrating the merits of individual components, are ideal structures for efficient sodium storage. However, the construction of hybrid structures with decent physical/electrochemical properties is still challenging. Now, the elaborate design and synthesis of hierarchical nanoboxes composed of three-layered Cu₂S@carbon@MoS₂ as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries is reported. Through a facile multistep template-engaged strategy, ultrathin MoS₂ nanosheets are grown on nitrogen-doped carbon-coated Cu₂S nanoboxes to realize the Cu₂S@carbon@MoS₂ configuration. The design shortens the diffusion path of electrons/Na⁺ ions, accommodates the volume change of electrodes during cycling, enhances the electric conductivity of the hybrids, and offers abundant active sites for sodium uptake. By virtue of these advantages, these three-layered Cu₂S@carbon@MoS₂ hierarchical nanoboxes show excellent electrochemical properties in terms of decent rate capability and stable cycle life.