Enhancing Sodium-Ion Transport by Hollow Nanotube Structure Design of a V₅S₈@C Anode for Sodium-Ion Batteries

V₅S₈ has received extensive attention in the field of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to its two-dimensional (2D) layered structure, and weak van der Waals forces between V–S accelerate the transport of sodium ions. However, the long-term cycling of V₅S₈ still suffers from volume expansion and low conductivity. Herein, a hollow nanotube V₅S₈@C (H-V₅S₈@C) with improved conductivity was synthesized by a solvothermal method to alleviate cracking caused by volume expansion. Benefiting from the large specific surface area of the hollow nanotube structure and uniform carbon coating, H-V₅S₈@C exhibits a more active site and enhanced conductivity. Meanwhile, the heterojunction formed by a few residual MoS₂ and the outer layer of V₅S₈ stabilizes the structure and reduces the ion migration barrier with fast Na⁺ transport. Specifically, the H-V₅S₈@C anode provides an enhanced rate performance of 270.1 mAh g^–1 at 15 A g^–1 and high cycling stability of 291.7 mAh g^–1 with a retention rate of 90.98% after 300 cycles at 5 A g^–1. This work provides a feasible approach for the structural design of 2D layered materials, which can promote the practical application of fast-charging sodium-ion batteries.