Ultrafine MoO2 nanoparticles grown on graphene sheets as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

•We have successfully synthesized ultrafine MoO2 nanoparticles grown on graphene sheets through a facile hydrothermal process which only involves commercial MoO3, ethylene glycol and GO as starting materials.•More importantly, the ultrafine MoO2 nanoparticle/graphene hybrids show superior performances as an anode material for lithium ion batteries.•The as-formed MoO2/graphene product shows areversible lithium storage capacity as high as 765.3 mA h g-1after 40 cycles, as anode materials for lithium ion batteries.

We have successfully synthesized ultrafine MoO2 nanoparticles with the diameter of ~5 nm grown on graphene sheets through a facile hydrothermal process which only involves commercial MoO3, ethylene glycol and GO as starting materials. More importantly, the ultrafine MoO2 nanoparticle/graphene hybrids exhibit great electrochemical performances with reversible lithium storage capacity as high as 765.3 mA h g−1 after 40 cycles, as anode materials for lithium ion batteries.