One-Step Construction of MoSSe/N-Doped Carbon Flower-like Hierarchical Microspheres with Enhanced Sodium Storage.

Despite the fulfilling advancement in preparing two-dimensional (2D) layered transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD)-based hybrid architectures, most methods lie on additional template-based procedures for obtaining the expected structure. Here, we present a self-template and in situ synchronous selenization/vulcanization strategy for the synthesis of flower-like hierarchical MoSSe/N-doped carbon (MoSSe/NC) microspheres by morphology-preserved thermal transformation of a Mo-polydopamine precursor. Introducing element S into the MoSe crystal structure can enhance the electron and ion transportation and lift the ability of MoSe to store Na; the presence of Se can expand the interlayer spacing in contrast to MoS. Moreover, carbon composition can also favor the electrical conductivity, and the rigid micro/nanostructure is better for preventing the stacking of MoSSe nanoflakes. The Mo-polydopamine-derived MoSSe/NC hybrid exhibits much better performance as the sodium-ion battery (SIB) anode than MoS/NC and MoSe/NC counterparts, confirming that the advanced electrode material can be attained via the rationalization of the synthetic method. The work provides a new design configuration for novel 2D layered TMDs in the promising application of SIBs as anode materials.