Electrochemical mechanism of Li insertion/extraction in ZnS and ZnS/C anodes for Li-ion batteries

Study on interface engineering and chemical bonding of the ReS2@ZnO heterointerface for efficient charge transfer and nonlinear optical conversion efficiency

Rhenium sulfide (ReS2) has emerged as a promising two-dimensional material, demonstrating broad-spectrum visible absorption properties that make it highly relevant for diverse optoelectronic applications. Manipulating and optimizing the pathway of photogenerated carriers play a pivotal role in enhancing the efficiency of charge separation and transfer in novel semiconductor composites. This study focuses on the strategic construction of a semiconductor heterostructure by synthesizing ZnO on vacancy-containing ReS2 (VRe-ReS2) through chemical bonding processes. The ingeniously engineered built-in electric field within the heterostructure effectively suppresses the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. A direct and well-established interfacial connection between VRe-ReS2 and ZnO is achieved through a robust Zn-S bond. This distinctive bond configuration leads to enhanced nonlinear optical conversion efficiency, attributed to shortened carrier migration distances and accelerated charge transfer rates. Furthermore, theoretical calculations unveil the superior chemical interactions between Re vacancies and sulfide moieties, facilitating the formation of Zn-S bonds. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity is increased by the formation of VRe-ReS2 and ZnO heterostructure and the PL quantum yield of VRe-ReS2 is improved. The intricate impact of the Zn-S bond on the nonlinear absorption behavior of the VRe-ReS2@ZnO heterostructure is systematically investigated using femtosecond Z-scan techniques. The charge transfer from ZnO to ReS2 defect levels induces a transition from saturable absorption to reverse saturable absorption in the VRe-ReS2@ZnO heterostructure. Transient absorption measurements further confirm the presence of the Zn-S bond between the interfaces, as evidenced by the prolonged relaxation time (τ3) in the VRe-ReS2@ZnO heterostructure. This study offers valuable insights into the rational construction of heterojunctions through tailored interfacial bonding and surface/interface charge transfer pathways. These endeavors facilitate the modulation of electron transfer dynamics, ultimately yielding superior nonlinear optical conversion efficiency and effective charge regulation in optoelectronic functional materials.

Green synthesis of carbon-supported ultrafine ZnS nanoparticles for superior lithium-ion batteries

Zinc sulfide (ZnS) is a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of its high theoretical capacity, abundance, cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness. Herein, a hydrangea-like ZnS-carbon composite (ZnS-NC) is synthesized through the hydrothermal method and subsequent pyrolysis of a supramolecular precursor guanosine. The resulting composite comprises ultrafine ZnS nanoparticles firmly stabilized on a nitrogen-doped carbon matrix, featuring mesoporous channels and high surface areas. When utilized as an anode material for LIBs, the initial discharge specific capacity of the ZnS-NC electrode reaches an impressive value of 944 mA h g-1 at 1.0 A g-1, and even after 450 cycles, it maintains a reversible capacity of 597 mA h g-1. Compared with pure ZnS, the ZnS-NC composite exhibits significantly improved rate performance and cycling stability. This enhancement in Li-storage performance can be attributed to a synergistic effect within the ZnS-NC composite, which arises from the large exposed active site area, efficient ion/electron transfer, and strong interaction between the ZnS nanoparticles and the carbon framework. Overall, this work presents an eco-friendly approach for developing metal sulfide-carbon composites with exceptional potential for energy storage applications.

Engineering hierarchically ZnS/NiS/NiS2 hollow porous urchin-like composite towards exceptional lithium storage

Complex hollow structure nanostructure is regarded as the desired approach to alleviating the volume change of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this work, ZnS/NiS/NiS₂ composite with a distinctive hierarchical hollow porous urchin-like structure was prepared through pyrolysis of bimetal-organic frameworks obtained by one-step solvothermal and firstly used as anodes for LIBs. Varying the metal molar ratios allows the control of the surface area and pore size distribution of ZnS/NiS/NiS₂. The obtained composite with a hollow porous urchin-like structure exhibits high porosity, large specific surface area, and strong synergetic interaction between ZnS and NiS/NiS₂ can greatly buffer the volume expansion to keep the mechanical stability, ensure sufficient contact region between electrolyte and electrodes and shorten the Li⁺ transfer distance, meanwhile, the carbon derived from organic ligand of bimetal-organic frameworks also constructs the conductive matrix to accelerate electrons transfer. Based on the above outstanding properties, the obtained material delivers excellent rate capacity, superior reversible capacity, and long-cycle stability, especially disclosing a capacity of 615 mAh·g^-1 after 300 cycles at 2 A·g^-1. This work proposes a feasible strategy to obtain a unique hollow porous urchin-like structure through pyrolysis of bimetal organic frameworks, it can be extended to fabricate other mixed metal sulfides nanostructures with excellent electrochemical performances.

Gallium-Telluride-Based Composite as Promising Lithium Storage Material

Various applications of gallium telluride have been investigated, such as in optoelectronic devices, radiation detectors, solar cells, and semiconductors, owing to its unique electronic, mechanical, and structural properties. Among the various forms of gallium telluride (e.g., GaTe, Ga₃Te₄, Ga₂Te₃, and Ga₂Te₅), we propose a gallium (III) telluride (Ga₂Te₃)-based composite (Ga₂Te₃-TiO₂-C) as a prospective anode for Li-ion batteries (LIBs). The lithiation/delithiation phase change mechanism of Ga₂Te₃ was examined. The existence of the TiO₂-C hybrid buffering matrix improved the electrical conductivity as well as mechanical integrity of the composite anode for LIBs. Furthermore, the impact of the C concentration on the performance of Ga₂Te₃-TiO₂-C was comprehensively studied through cyclic voltammetry, differential capacity analysis, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The Ga₂Te₃-TiO₂-C electrode showed high rate capability (capacity retention of 96% at 10 A g^-1 relative to 0.1 A g^-1) as well as high reversible specific capacity (769 mAh g^-1 after 300 cycles at 100 mA g^-1). The capacity of Ga₂Te₃-TiO₂-C was enhanced by the synergistic interaction of TiO₂ and amorphous C. It thereby outperformed the majority of the most recent Ga-based LIB electrodes. Thus, Ga₂Te₃-TiO₂-C can be thought of as a prospective anode for LIBs in the future.

High-performance Ti-doped ZnS thin film anode for lithium-ion batteries

Thin film microbattery is urgently needed to provide a long-term stable on-chip power for various kinds of microdevices or microsystems. Anode is a core component in thin film lithium ion microbattery, however, previous researches mostly focused on metal oxide or Si-based thin film anodes, and the reports of metal sulfide thin film anodes are limited. Herein, we present a new type of Ti-doped ZnS thin film fabricated by radio frequency (RF) magnetron co-sputtering. The Ti doping is designed to enhance the overall electrical conductivity of the ZnS thin film, since the insulation of ZnS is one of the major barriers to deliver its lithium storage performance. As an anode applied in lithium ion battery, the Ti-doped ZnS thin film exhibits good cycling stability up to 500 cycles at a current density of 1.0 A·g^-1, and remains a higher specific capacity of 463.1 mAh·g^-1than that of the pure ZnS thin film, showing its better electrochemical reaction reversibility. The rate capability and EIS measurements manifest the more favorable electrochemical reaction kinetics of the Ti-doped ZnS thin film, moreover, the CV tests at various scan rates indicate the improved Li⁺diffusion kinetics in the electrode after Ti doping.

Research progress on ZnSe and ZnTe anodes for rechargeable batteries

Transition-metal chalcogenides (TMCs) with tunable direct bandgaps and interlayer spacing are attractive for energy-related applications. Semiconducting zinc chalcogenides, especially their selenides (ZnSe) and tellurides (ZnTe), with enhanced conductivity, high theoretical capacity, low operation voltage and abundance, have appeared on the horizon and receive increasing interest in terms of electrochemical energy storage and conversion. Despite the existing typical obstruction owing to the large volume change, relatively low electrical conductivity and sluggish ion diffusion kinetics into the bulk phase, several effective strategies such as compositing, doping, nanostructuring, and electrode/cell design have exhibited promising applications. We herein provide a timely and systematic overview of recent research and significant advances regarding ZnSe, ZnTe and their hybrids/composites, covering synthesis to electrode design and to applications, especially in advanced Li/Na/K-ion batteries, as well as the reaction mechanisms thereof. It is hoped that the overview will shed new light on the development of ZnSe and ZnTe for next-generation rechargeable batteries.

Self-Sacrifice Template Construction of Uniform Yolk-Shell ZnS@C for Superior Alkali-Ion Storage

Secondary batteries have been widespread in the daily life causing an ever-growing demand for long-cycle lifespan and high-energy alkali-ion batteries. As an essential constituent part, electrode materials with superior electrochemical properties play a vital role in the battery systems. Here, an outstanding electrode of yolk-shell ZnS@C nanorods is developed, introducing considerable void space via a self-sacrificial template method. Such carbon encapsulated nanorods moderate integral electronic conductivity, thus ensuring rapid alkali-ions/electrons transporting. Furthermore, the porous structure of these nanorods endows enough void space to mitigate volume stress caused by the insertion/extraction of alkali-ions. Due to the unique structure, these yolk-shell ZnS@C nanorods achieve superior rate performance and cycling performance (740 mAh g-1 at 1.0 A g-1 after 540 cycles) for lithium-ion batteries. As a potassium-ion batteries anode, they achieve an ultra-long lifespan delivering 211.1 mAh g-1 at 1.0 A g-1 after 5700 cycles. The kinetic analysis reveals that these ZnS@C nanorods with considerable pseudocapacitive contribution benefit the fast lithiation/delithiation. Detailed transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses indicate that such yolk-shell ZnS@C anode is a typical reversible conversion reaction mechanism accomplished by alloying processes. This rational design strategy opens a window for the development of superior energy storage materials.

Synthesis of core-shell ZnS@C micron-rods as advanced anode materials for lithium ion batteries

Zinc sulfide (ZnS), is considered as a candidate anode materials to replace commercial graphite anode for high performance LIBs. However, the huge volume change during the lithiation/delithiation process, lead to...

MOF-Derived ZnS/NC yolk-shell Composites for Highly Reversible Lithium Storage

The application of ZnS-based anode materials in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has some severe challenges, such as the insulating nature of ZnS, the pronounced polarization caused by conversion reactions and alloying...

Two-dimensional ZnS@N-doped carbon nanoplates for complete lithium ion batteries

Metal sulfides are promising anode materials for lithium ion batteries because of the high specific capacities and better electrochemical kinetics comparing to their oxide counterparts. In this paper, novel monocrystalline wurtzite ZnS@N-doped carbon (ZnS@N-C) nanoplates, whose morphology and phase are different from the common ZnS particles with cubic phase, are successfully synthesized. The ZnS@N-C nanoplates exhibit long cycle life with a high reversible specific capacity of 536.8 mAh · g^-1after 500 cycles at a current density of 500 mA · g^-1, which is superior to the pure ZnS nanoplates, illustrating the obvious effect of the N-doped carbon coating for mitigating volume change of the ZnS nanoplates and enhancing the electronic conductivity during charge/discharge processes. Furthermore, it is revealed that the ZnS single crystals with wurtzite phase in the ZnS@N-C nanoplates are transformed to the polycrystalline cubic phase ZnS after charge/discharge processes. In particular, the ZnS@N-C nanoplates are combined with the commercial LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂cathode to fabricate a new type of LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂/ZnS@N-C complete battery, which exhibits good cycling durability up to 120 cycles at a charge/discharge rate of 1 C after the prelithiation treatment on the ZnS@N-C anode, highlighting the potential of the ZnS@N-C nanoplates anode material applied in lithium ion battery.

Ultrafine ZnS Nanoparticles in the Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Matrix for Long-Life and High-Stable Potassium-Ion Batteries

Potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) have attracted researchers' widespread attention because of the luxuriant reserves of potassium salts and their low cost. Nevertheless, the absence of suitable electrode materials with a stable electrochemical property is a crucial issue, which seriously hampers the practical applications of KIBs. Herein, a scalable anode material consisting of ultrafine ZnS nanoparticles encapsulated in three-dimensional (3D) carbon nanosheets is explored for KIBs. This hierarchical anode is obtained via a simple and universal sol-gel method combined with a typical solid-phase sulfidation route. The special structure of this anode facilitates good contact with electrolytes and has enough voids to buffer the large volumetric stress changing during K⁺ insertion/extraction. Thus, the 3D ZnS@C electrode exhibitsour stable cycling performance (230 mAh g^-1 over 2300 cycles at 1.0 A g^-1) and superior rate capability. The kinetic analysis indicates that a ZnS@C anode with considerable pesoudecapactive contribution benefits a fast potassium/depotassium process. Detailed ex-situ and in-situ measurements reveal that this ZnS@C anode combines reversible conversion and alloying-type reactions. This rationally designed ZnS@C material is highly applicable for KIBs, and the current route opens an avenue for the development of highly stable K⁺ storage materials.

Facile one pot sonochemical synthesis of layered nanostructure of ZnS NPs/rGO nanosheets for simultaneous analysis of daclatasvir and hydroxychloroquine

In this study, zinc sulfide nanoparticles were loaded on reduced graphene oxide (ZnS NPs/rGO) using simple sonochemical method. The nanocomposite was characterized using different morphological and electrochemical techniques such as TEM, SEM, PXRD, EDX, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, N₂-adsorption-desorption, CV, and EIS. The ZnS NPs/rGO modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was used to simultaneously estimate hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and daclatasvir (DAC) in a binary mixture for the first time. The modified nanocomposite exhibited good catalytic activity towards HCQ and DAC detection. In addition, it showed higher sensitivity, good selectivity and stability; and high reproducibility towards HCQ and DAC analysis. The activity of the modified electrode was noticeably improved due to synergism between ZnS NPs and rGO. Under optimum conditions of DPV measurements, the anodic peak currents (Ipa) were obviously increased with the increase of HCQ and DAC amounts with linear ranges of 5.0-65.0 and 7.0-65.0 nM with LODs of 0.456 and 0.498 nM for HCQ and DAC, respectively. The ZnS NPs/ rGO modified GCE was used to quantify HCQ and DAC in biological fluids with recoveries of 98.7-102.7% and 96.9-104.5% and RSDs of 1.89-3.57% and 1.91-3.70%, respectively.

Metal Sulfide Nanoparticle Synthesis with Ionic Liquids - State of the Art and Future Perspectives

Metal sulfides are among the most promising materials for a wide variety of technologically relevant applications ranging from energy to environment and beyond. Incidentally, ionic liquids (ILs) have been among the top research subjects for the same applications and also for inorganic materials synthesis. As a result, the exploitation of the peculiar properties of ILs for metal sulfide synthesis could provide attractive new avenues for the generation of new, highly specific metal sulfides for numerous applications. This article therefore describes current developments in metal sulfide nanoparticle synthesis as exemplified by a number of highlight examples. Moreover, the article demonstrates how ILs have been used in metal sulfide synthesis and discusses the benefits of using ILs over more traditional approaches. Finally, the article demonstrates some technological challenges and how ILs could be used to further advance the production and specific property engineering of metal sulfide nanomaterials, again based on a number of selected examples.

Initiating a Reversible Aqueous Zn/Sulfur Battery through a "Liquid Film"

Sulfur cathodes have been under intensive study in various systems, such as Li/S, Na/S, Mg/S, and Al/S batteries. However, to date, Zn/S chemistry has never been reported. The first reliable aqueous Zn/polysulfide system activated by a "liquid film" comprising 4-(3-butyl-1-imidazolio)-1-butanesulfoni ionic liquid (IL) encapsulated within PEDOT:PSS. CF₃ SO₃ ^- anions in the IL operating as Zn²⁺ -transfer channels is reported. Moreover, the PEDOT:PSS network retains the IL, which renders Zn²⁺ -transfer channels and a polysulfide cathode with enhanced structural stability. The Zn/polysulfide system delivers extraordinary capacity of 1148 mAh g^-1 and overwhelming energy density of 724.7 Wh kg^-1 _cathode at 0.3 Ag^-1 . During the discharging phase, S₆ ^2- is dominantly reduced by Zn to S^2- (S₆   →  S^2- ). During the charging phase, these short chains are oxidized to form long-chain Zn_x Li_y S_3-6 . A further optimized high-concentrated salt electrolyte is used to improve the reversibility of the battery, demonstrating an extended lifetime over 1600 cycles at 1 Ag^-1 with a capacity retention of 204 mAh g^-1 . This facile approach and the superior performance of the developed aqueous Zn/S chemistry provide a new platform for sulfur-based battery and potentially solve the problems of other metal/sulfur batteries.

Layered nanocomposite of zinc sulfide covered reduced graphene oxide and their implications for electrocatalytic applications

Herein, we have synthesized zinc sulfide nanospheres (ZnS NPs) encapsulated on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) hybrid by an ultrasonic bath (50 kHz/60 W). The physical and structural properties of ZnS NPs@RGO hybrid were analyzed by TEM, XRD, EIS and EDS. As-prepared ZnS NPs@RGO hybrid was applied towards the electrochemical determination of caffeic acid (CA) in various food samples. The ZnS NPs@RGO hybrid modified electrode (GCE) exhibited an excellent electrocatalytic performance towards caffeic acid detection and determination, when compared to other modified electrodes. Therefore, the electrochemical sensing performance of the fabricated and nanocomposite modified electrode was significantly improved owing to the synergistic effect of ZnS NPs and RGO catalyst. Furthermore, the hybrid materials provide highly active electro-sites as well as rapid electron transport pathways. The proposed electrochemical caffeic acid sensor produces a wide linear range of 0.015-671.7 µM with a nanomolar level detection limit (3.29 nM). In addition, the real sample analysis of the proposed sensor has applied to the determination of caffeic acid in various food samples.

Enhanced Cycle Stability of Zinc Sulfide Anode for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Storage: Effect of Conductive Hybrid Matrix on Active ZnS

Zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanocrystallites embedded in a conductive hybrid matrix of titanium carbide and carbon, are successfully fabricated via a facile high-energy ball-milling (HEBM) process. The structural and morphological analyses of the ZnS-TiC-C nanocomposites reveal that ZnS and TiC nanocrystallites are homogeneously distributed in an amorphous carbon matrix. Compared with ZnS-C and ZnS composites, the ZnS-TiC-C nanocomposite exhibits significantly improved electrochemical performance, delivering a highly reversible specific capacity (613 mA h g⁻¹ over 600 cycles at 0.1 A g⁻¹, i.e., ~85% capacity retention), excellent long-term cyclic performance (545 mA h g⁻¹ and 467 mA h g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹ and 1 A g⁻¹, respectively, after 600 cycles), and good rate capability at 10 A g⁻¹ (69% capacity retention at 0.1 A g⁻¹). The electrochemical performance is significantly improved, primarily owing to the presence of conductive hybrid matrix of titanium carbide and amorphous carbon in the ZnS-TiC-C nanocomposites. The matrix not only provides high conductivity but also acts as a mechanical buffering matrix preventing huge volume changes during prolonged cycling. The lithiation/delithiation mechanisms of the ZnS-TiC-C electrodes are examined via ex situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Furthermore, to investigate the practical application of the ZnS-TiC-C nanocomposite, a coin-type full cell consisting of a ZnS-TiC-C anode and a LiFePO₄–graphite cathode is assembled and characterized. The cell exhibits excellent cyclic stability up to 200 cycles and a good rate performance. This study clearly demonstrates that the ZnS-TiC-C nanocomposite can be a promising negative electrode material for the next-generation lithium-ion batteries.

One step in situ synthesis of ZnS/N and S co-doped carbon composites via salt templating for lithium-ion battery applications

A eutectic salt mixture (LiCl/ZnCl₂) as a template plays a dual role by rendering sufficient surface area and a source of Zn²⁺ for in situ formation of ZnS. The resulting composites as an anode exhibit superior performance compared to pure ZnS.

High Electrochemical Performance of Nanotube Structured ZnS as Anode Material for Lithium⁻Ion Batteries

By using ZnO nanorods as an ideal sacrificial template, one-dimensional (1-D) ZnS nanotubes with a mean diameter of 10 nm were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method. The phase composition and microstructure of the ZnS nanotubes were characterized by using XRD (X-ray diffraction), SEM (scanning electron micrograph), and TEM (transmission electronic microscopy) analysis. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and nitrogen sorption isotherms measurements were also used to study the information on the surface chemical compositions and specific surface area of the sample. The prepared ZnS nanotubes were used as anode materials in lithium-ion batteries. Results show that the ZnS nanotubes deliver an impressive prime discharge capacity as high as 950 mAh/g. The ZnS nanotubes also exhibit an enhanced cyclic performance. Even after 100 charge/discharge cycles, the discharge capacity could still remain at 450 mAh/g. Moreover, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements were also carried out to evaluate the ZnS electrodes.