4.8 Article

Rational design of microstructure and interphase enables highcapacity and long-life carbon anodes for potassium ion batteries

Journal

CARBON
Volume 176, Issue -, Pages 383-389

Publisher

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2021.02.003

Keywords

Potassium ion battery; Mesoporous carbon; Solid electrolyte interphase; In-situ Raman

Funding

  1. Hong Kong Research Grants Council through the Early Career Scheme [25215918]

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This study demonstrates that the performance of low-cost pitch derived carbon for potassium ion batteries can be significantly boosted through synergistic microstructure design and electrode/electrolyte interphase regulation. The optimized carbon anode delivers remarkable capacity and outstanding rate capability by providing extra active sites through the production of mesopores. Furthermore, the construction of a robust solid electrolyte interphase improves long-term stability and leads to exceptional capacity retention after cycles.
Disordered carbon is considered as a potential anode material for potassium ion batteries (PIBs) due to its advantages in rate capability compared to graphite. Nevertheless, its capacity is usually limited below 300 mAh g(-1). Herein, we demonstrate the performance of low-cost pitch derived carbon could be significantly boosted through synergistic microstructure design and electrode/electrolyte interphase regulation. A considerable amount of mesopore is produced to provide the extra active sites for K ion storage and meanwhile, facilitate the charge transfer. The optimized carbon anode delivers a remarkable capacity of 460 mAh g(-1) with outstanding rate capability up to 4.0 A g(-1). In-situ Raman spectra reveal the superb performance originates from K ion storage in both the mesopore and disordered graphene layers. The construction of a robust solid electrolyte interphase in ethylene glycol diethyl ether derived electrolyte further improves the long-term stability, leading to an exceptional capacity retention of 80% after 2000 cycles under a current density of 1.0 A g(-1). This strategy provides a facile approach to enhance the performance of carbon materials for PIBs via structure and interphase design. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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