Electrophoretic assisted fabrication of additive-free WS2 nanosheet anodes for high energy density lithium-ion batteries

2D WS2 nanosheets (NSs) are gaining popularity in the domain of Li-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their unique structures, which can enable reversible insertion and extraction of alkali metal ions. While synthesis methods have mostly relied on the exfoliation of bulk materials or direct growth on substrates, here we report an alternative approach involving colloidal hot-injection synthesis of 2D WS2 in 2H and 1T′ crystal phases followed by their electrophoretic deposition (EPD) on the current collector. The produced 2D WS2 NSs’ films do not require any additional additives during deposition, which boosts the energy density of the additive-free LIBs produced. The 1T′ and 2H NSs exhibit long-term stable cyclic performance at C/5 for 600 cycles. At a high cycling rate (1C), the 2H NSs outperform the 1T′ NSs, delivering a 1st cycle reversible capacity of 513 mA h g−1 with capacity retention of 73% after 100 cycles (compared to 205 mA h g−1, and 84 mA h g−1 respectively for NS-1T′). Post-cycling investigation confirms that there is no leaching or cracking of the active material on the surface of anodes after 100 cycles at C/5, which enables mechanical stability, and impressive battery performance of the WS2 NS electrodes.