Advances in metal sulfide anodes for high-performance sodium-ion batteries

Anode materials are crucial for the advancement of high-performance sodium-ion batteries, with metal sulfides (MSs) emerging as particularly promising candidates owing to their substantial theoretical capacities (e.g., FeS2 offers a capacity of up to 892 mAh g-1). These materials have gained considerable attention as potential anodes for SIBs. While existing reviews have largely addressed the influence of structural features on performance, limited focus has been placed on the broad variety of MSs and their unique properties. This review provides a concise overview of the common synthesis methods for MSs used as high-performance anodes in SIBs, with a focus on hydrothermal/solvothermal, calcination and electrospinning techniques. Different morphologies and structures can be constructed using these methods. The hydrothermal/solvothermal method is carried out at a lower temperature, while the calcination method yields MSs with higher crystallinity. In addition, electrospinning enables the formation of MSs with a three-dimensional cross-linked structure. The choice of method can be tailored depending on the desired morphology. At the end of this review, recent research advancements in the field are highlighted, addressing the technological challenges and exploring promising research prospects for MSs and their future development.