Synthesis of Highly Uniform Molybdenum-Glycerate Spheres and Their Conversion into Hierarchical MoS2 Hollow Nanospheres for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Highly uniform Mo-glycerate solid spheres are synthesized for the first time through a solvothermal process. The size of these Mo-glycerate spheres can be easily controlled in the range of 400-1000 nm by varying the water content in the mixed solvent. As a precursor, these Mo-glycerate solid spheres can be converted into hierarchical MoS2 hollow nanospheres through a subsequent sulfidation reaction. Owing to the unique ultrathin subunits and hollow interior, the as-prepared MoS2 hollow nanospheres exhibit appealing performance as the anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Impressively, these hierarchical structures deliver a high capacity of about 1100 mAh g(-1) at 0.5 A g(-1) with good rate retention and long cycle life.