ZnS nanotubes/carbon cloth as a reversible and high-capacity anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Metal sulfides have been considered as one of the most promising class of anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. However, large volume change and low intrinsic electrical conductivity significantly restrict the performance. Herein, flexible electrode materials comprising ZnS nanotubes/carbon cloth are prepared by combined solvothermal and ion-exchange sulfidation technique. The ZnS nanotube array/carbon cloth electrode is assessed for application in lithium-ion batteries and remarkable improvement towards reversible capacity was observed. A notable capacity of 1053 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C and a maintained reversible capacity of 608 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles are observed, which are both comparable to similar materials in previously published reports. The ZnS nanotubes with small dimension and uniform dispersion grown directly on carbon cloth can effectively shorten the path of the lithium-ions, facilitating the charge transfer of the electrode. The carbon cloth and the three-dimensional (3D) structured carbon fiber exhibit a large surface area and can thus efficiently reduce the volume change during the discharge/charge cycles.