Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon as a Host for Tellurium for High‐Rate Li–Te and Na–Te Batteries

A nitrogen‐doped hierarchical porous carbon sponge, used as a matrix for tellurium accommodation, was designed and prepared in this work. The porosity of the matrix played an important role in enhancing the electrochemical performance of Li/Na–Te batteries. Specifically, the mesopores could accommodate active materials whereas the macropores provided sufficient space for partial Te accommodation and volume expansion in discharge. In addition, N heteroatoms in carbon species could enhance the electrical conductivity and widen its application in lithium/sodium storage. The monolithic and flaky architecture of the nitrogen‐doped hierarchical porous carbon sponge/tellurium composite offered a highly conductive network for fast electron transportation. As a result, the nitrogen‐doped hierarchical porous carbon sponge/tellurium composite achieved a superior rate performance for Li–Te and Na–Te batteries.