Carbon-coated MoSTe nanocables for efficient sodium-ion storage in non-aqueous dual-ion batteries.

Sodium-based dual-ion batteries have received increased attention owing to their appealing cell voltage (i.e., >3 V) and cost-effective features. However, the development of high-performance anode materials is one of the key elements for exploiting this electrochemical energy storage system at practical levels. Here, we report a source-template synthetic strategy for fabricating a variety of nanowire-in-nanotube MSTe@C (M = Mo, W, Re) structures with an in situ-grown carbon film coating, termed as nanocables. Among the various materials prepared, the MoSTe@C nanocables are investigated as negative electrode active material in combination with expanded graphite at the positive electrode and NaPF-based non-aqueous electrolyte solutions for dual-ion storage in coin cell configuration. As a result, the dual-ion lab-scale cells demonstrate a prolonged cycling lifespan with 97% capacity retention over 1500 cycles and a reversible capacity of about 101 mAh g at specific capacities (based on the mass of the anode) of 1.0 A g and 5.0 A g, respectively.