Few-layered ReS2 nanosheets vertically aligned on reduced graphene oxide for superior lithium and sodium storage

We have exploited an efficient electrostatic attraction strategy to fabricate hybrid 2D–2D heterostructures consisting of few-layered ReS2 nanosheets chemically anchored on both sides of reduced graphene oxide in vertical orientation (v-ReS2/rGO) via a one-pot hydrothermal approach. The additive hydroxylamine hydrochloride plays a critical role in reversing the negatively charged pristine rGO to positively charged rGO, which favors the electrostatic attraction of ReO4− and facilitates the subsequent growth of the few-layered ReS2 nanosheets perpendicular to the rGO substrates, where ReS2 nanosheets present a thickness of ∼3.7 nm and a height of ∼50 nm relative to the rGO scaffold. Due to the synergistic effects of the elegant 2D–2D nano-hierarchy created on graphene, the resulting v-ReS2/rGO nanocomposite exhibits reversible lithium and sodium storage with excellent specific capacity and rate capability at low potentials, making such 2D–2D materials promising candidates as anode hosts in alkali ion batteries.