Implanting CuS Quantum Dots into Carbon Nanorods for Efficient Magnesium-Ion Batteries

Magnesium-ion batteries (MIBs) are emerging as potential next-generation energy storage systems due to high security and high theoretical energy density. Nevertheless, the development of MIBs is limited by the lack of cathode materials with high specific capacity and cyclic stability. Currently, transition metal sulfides are considered as a promising class of cathode materials for advanced MIBs. Herein, a template-based strategy is proposed to successfully fabricate metal-organic framework-derived in-situ porous carbon nanorod-encapsulated CuS quantum dots (CuS-QD@C nanorods) via a two-step method of sulfurization and cation exchange. CuS quantum dots have abundant electrochemically active sites, which facilitate the contact between the electrode and the electrolyte. In addition, the tight combination of CuS quantum dots and porous carbon nanorods increases the electronic conductivity while accelerating the transport speed of ions and electrons. With these architectural and compositional advantages, when used as a cathode material for MIBs, the CuS-QD@C nanorods exhibit remarkable performance in magnesium storage, including a high reversible capacity of 323.7 mAh g⁻¹ at 100 mA g⁻¹ after 100 cycles, excellent long-term cycling stability (98.5 mAh g⁻¹ after 1000 cycles at 1.0 A g⁻¹), and satisfying rate performance (111.8 mA g⁻¹ at 1.0 A g⁻¹).