Necklace-like carbon nanofibers encapsulating MoO2 nanospheres with Mo–C bonding for stable lithium-ion storage

Molybdenum dioxide has aroused a wide concern as anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity and high density. However, it still faces the problems of large volume changes and low electronic conductivities, which limits its practical application. Herein, necklace-like N-doped carbon nanofibers encapsulating MoO 2 nanospheres (MoO 2 @NCNFs) with Mo–C bonding have been designed to address these issues. The rational design carbon coating structure can not only enhance the electron transfer, but also markedly strengthen structural stability. As expected, the as-prepared electrode showed superior lithium storage capacity, including a high specific capacity of 1120 mAh·g −1 at 0.1 A·g −1 , and good rate performance of 502 mAh·g −1 at 4.0 A·g −1 and a prolonged cycling stability of 490 mAh·g −1 capacity retention over 3000 cycles at 4.0 A·g −1 . Graphical abstract