WS₂ Nanoparticles Embedded in Carbon Nanofibers for a Pseudocapacitor

Tungsten disulfide (WS₂), a typical 2D layerd structure, has received much attention as a pseudocapacitive material because of its high theoretical specific capacity and excellent ion diffusion kinetics. However, WS₂ has critical limits such as poor long-term cycling stability owing to its large volume expansion during cycling and low electrical conductivity. Therefore, to increase the high-rate performance and cycling stability for pseudocapacitors, well-dispersed WS₂ nanoparticles embedded in carbon nanofibers (WS₂-CNFs), including mesopores and S-doping, are prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and sulfurizaiton. These unique nanocomposite electrodes exhibit a high specific capacity (159.6 F g^-1 at 10 mV s^-1), excellent high-rate performance (81.3 F g^-1 at 300 mV s^-1), and long-term cycling stability (55.9% after 1,000 cycles at 100 mV s^-1). The increased specific capacity is attributed to well-dispersed WS₂ nanoparticles embedded in CNFs that the enlarge active area; the increased high-rate performance is contributed by reduced ion diffusion pathway due to mesoporous CNFs and improved electrical conductivity due to S-doped CNFs; the long-term cycling stability is attributed to the CNFs matrix including WS₂ nanoparticles, which effectively prevent large volume expansion.