Progress of transition metal sulfides used as lithium-ion battery anodes

Abstract

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used as power storage devices nowadays. However, graphite, the commercial anode material of lithium-ion batteries, can no longer match the ever-increasing power needs. Remarkably, transition metal sulfides (TMSs) have the advantage of high capacity due to the conversion reaction lithium storage mechanism. Thus, it has become a powerful competitive anode material instead of the graphite for LIBs. To develop the commercial application, the poor cycle stability and the low-rate performance of TMSs need be improved. Because of their low cost and good thermal stability, several typical TMSs including CoS₂, Co₉S₈, CoS, FeS₂, and MoS₂ have been extensively studied. In this review, the synthetic schemes of the above-mentioned TMSs and their composites are summarized, while the lithium storage mechanisms and modifications are discussed. Also, it may provide some ideas to researchers regarding anode materials with good electrochemical performance.