Hollow multi-nanochannel carbon nanofibers@MoSe2 nanosheets composite as flexible anodes for high performance lithium-ion batteries

Herein, three flexible 3D-interconnected N-doped carbon nanofibers (NCFs), multi-nanochannel carbon nanofibers (NMCFs) and hollow multi-nanochannel carbon nanofibers (NHMCFs) networks were prepared through simple electrospinning, then ultrathin MoSe2 nanosheets were vertically grown on the surface of carbon nanofibers (both inner and outer surface for NHMCFs) using a facial hydrothermal method. The resultant MoSe2 composites were directly employed as freestanding anodes for LIBs without any additives. The effect of carbon nanofiber structure on LIBs is studied in detail. The 3D networks of carbon nanofiber provide a continuous electrons transportation pathway, and the multi-nanochannel structure in NMCFs and NHMCFs can alleviate the volume changes during charge–discharge process. Both the inner and outer surfaces of NHMCFs are uniformly coated by MoSe2 nanosheets, thus the mass loading of MoSe2 in NHMCFs/MoSe2 increases 21.25% and 13.85% compared with NCFs/MoSe2 and NMCFs/MoSe2 electrode, respectively. The robust hollow multi-nanochannel structure of NHMCFs can not only increase the contact area between active materials and electrolytes but also shorten the Li+ diffusion pathway. Therefore, the NHMCFs/MoSe2 delivers the highest capacity of 586.7 mAh g−1 among three electrodes after 400 cycles at 1 A g−1, which is 3.54 times of NCFs/MoSe2 and 2.49 times of NMCFs/MoSe2, confirming that NHMCFs is a promising electrode substrate for LIBs.