Cathode materials that have better thermal stability, larger specific capacity and higher conductivity can efficiently improve the electrochemical performance of the batteries. In this work, we synthesized tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanosheet and investigated its applicability as cathode material for thermal battery. The WS2 is thermally stable up to 1200 degrees C. The open-circuit voltage is 1.43 V versus Li-B anode. At a current density of 150 mA cm(-2), the Li-B/WS2 single cell exhibits a specific capacity of 334.7 mA h g(-1) with a cut-off voltage of 1.0 V. The end discharge products are proved to be W and Li2S. This work provides a beginning for further applying WS2 as a promising cathode material for long-life thermal batteries. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.