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Hard–Soft Composite Carbon as a Long‐Cycling and High‐Rate Anode for Potassium‐Ion Batteries
Author(s) -
Jian Zelang,
Hwang Sooyeon,
Li Zhifei,
Hernandez Alexandre S.,
Wang Xingfeng,
Xing Zhenyu,
Su Dong,
Ji Xiulei
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201700324
Subject(s) - materials science , anode , carbon fibers , composite number , energy storage , chemical engineering , potassium , graphite , potassium ion battery , cycling , nanotechnology , composite material , electrode , metallurgy , chemistry , power (physics) , physics , archaeology , quantum mechanics , engineering , history , lithium vanadium phosphate battery
There exist tremendous needs for sustainable storage solutions for intermittent renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind energy. Thus, systems based on Earth‐abundant elements deserve much attention. Potassium‐ion batteries represent a promising candidate because of the abundance of potassium resources. As for the choices of anodes, graphite exhibits encouraging potassium‐ion storage properties; however, it suffers limited rate capability and poor cycling stability. Here, nongraphitic carbons as K‐ion anodes with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose as the binder are systematically investigated. Compared to hard carbon and soft carbon, a hard–soft composite carbon with 20 wt% soft carbon distributed in the matrix phase of hard carbon microspheres exhibits highly amenable performance: high capacity, high rate capability, and very stable long‐term cycling. In contrast, pure hard carbon suffers limited rate capability, while the capacity of pure soft carbon fades more rapidly.