Hafnium Trisulfide Nanoribbons as a Promising Anode for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Storage

Exploring the electrochemical characteristics of low-dimensional van der Waals materials is crucial for advancing novel rechargeable energy-storage devices, such as lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Given their diverse band gaps, anisotropic conductivity, and high specific capacity, materials within the extensive family of transition metal trichalcogenides (TMTCs), including hafnium trisulfide (HfS₃), have garnered increased attention in recent years. Despite numerous theoretical and experimental studies focusing on the synthesis and physicochemical attributes of hafnium trisulfide, there remains a scarcity of experiments delving into its lithium-ion storage properties. Hence, HfS₃ material with a quasi-1D structure was applied as anode material for lithium-ion batteries. HfS₃ micro-belts were prepared using a simple solid-state reaction. Upon performing the relevant electrochemical tests, after 100 cycles, the HfS₃ electrode exhibits a high reversible capacity of 221.7 mAh g⁻¹ at a current density of 100 mA g⁻¹ and a great rate capability of 157.5 mAh g⁻¹ at the 101^st cycle at a high current density of 800 mA g⁻¹. The excellent lithium storage performance can be related to the lithiation amorphization process, surface-controlled pseudocapacitive behavior, and low charge transfer resistance. The promising electrochemical characteristics of HfS₃ may shed new light on the design of transition metal trichalcogenides as viable anode materials for lithium storage. Nevertheless, the lithium storage behavior of ZrS₃ flakes is thus largely unexplored due to its low electronic conductivity and the challenges associated with its exfoliation.