Synthesis and electrochemical properties of nickel sulfide/carbon composite as anode material for lithium‐ion and sodium‐ion batteries.

Summary: Transition metal sulfides have been considered a novel anode material for lithium‐ion and sodium‐ion batteries (LIBs/SIBs). However, their practical applications have been limited by their relatively poor cyclic stabilities and low rate performances. This work synthesized carbon‐coated nickel sulfide (NiS) composites with a core‐shell structure for high‐performance LIBs and SIBs by a solvothermal method. The one‐step synthesis of nickel sulfide and carbon at a low temperature can affect the thin homogeneous carbon coating, the buffer volume, and the sulfur dissolution of NiS nanoparticles. Due to small particle size dominance, desirable structural flexibility, and core‐shell architecture, the as‐prepared nickel sulfide/carbon composites showed substantial enhancement in LIBs and SIBs. The nickel sulfide/carbon composite electrodes displayed a high reversible discharge capacity of around 500 and 360 mAh/g after 50 cycles for LIBs and SIBs. The prepared NiS anode materials deliver the enormous potential for developing huge lithium/sodium storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]