Electrospinning synthesis of few-layer hexagonal antimonene nanosheets as anode for lithium-ion batteries

Two-dimensional (2D) antimonene (Sb) is regarded as a promising anode candidate for lithium-ion batteries owing to its theoretical capacity (660 mAh g(-1)). Preparing hexagonal Sb nanosheets (H-SbNs) has been addressed an effective strategy to resolve the drastic volume expansion and the pulverization issues. Here, we present a facile method to prepare the few-layer H-SbNs on the surface of carbon fibers via the electrospinning with a thermal annealing process. When evaluated as an anode for lithium storage, the H-SbN electrode delivers a high rate performance and excellent cycling stability. Electrochemical analysis reveals that the H-SbN electrode displays the mainly diffusion-controlled capacitive contributions and excellent lithium-ion and electron transport. Our findings demonstrate that 2D materials are superior to use as the Sb-based anodes for electrochemical lithium storage.