A Bi2S3@CNT nanocomposite as anode material for sodium ion batteries

•Bi2S3@CNT nanocomposite as anode material for Na-ion battery is studied.•Bi2S3@CNT nanocomposite consisting of Bi2S3 nanoparticles anchored on CNT backbone shows better electrochemical performance in Na storage than single Bi2S3.•Bi2S3@CNT is capable of delivering a reversible capacity of 84.8 mAh g−1 at 60 mA g−1 over 60 cycles.

Bismuth sulfide (Bi2S3) has been considered a potential electrode material for Li storage due to its high theoretical capacity and intriguing reaction mechanism. In this work we have designed a Bi2S3@CNT nanocomposite as a sodium ion (Na-ion) battery anode material, and studied its electrochemical performance. The layer structured Bi2S3 provides host sites for insertion of Na-ion and the carbon nanotube (CNT) in the Bi2S3@CNT nanocomposite serves as a highly conducting network to promote electron transport. The results show that the Bi2S3@CNT nanocomposite exhibits a high and stable capacity in the 0.01–3 V (vs. Na/Na+) voltage region, notably outperforming the bare Bi2S3 material. The Bi2S3@CNT nanocomposite as Na-ion anode material is able to discharge 84.4 mAh g−1 capacity at 60 mA g−1 over 60 full cycles.

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