A review of hard carbon anode: Rational design and advanced characterization in potassium ion batteries

Abstract

K‐ion batteries (KIBs) have attracted tremendous attention and seen significant development because of their low price, high operating voltage, and properties similar to those of Li‐ion batteries. In the field of development of full batteries, exploring high‐performing and low‐cost anode materials for K‐ion storage is a crucial challenge. Owing to their excellent cost effectiveness, abundant precursors, and environmental benignancy, hard carbons (HCs) are considered promising anode materials for KIBs. As a result, researchers have devoted much effort to quantify the properties and to understand the underlying mechanisms of HC‐based anodes. In this review, we mainly introduce the electrochemical reaction mechanism of HCs in KIBs, and summarize approaches to further improve the electrochemical performance in HC‐based materials for K‐ion storage. In addition, we also highlight some advanced in situ characterization methods for understanding the evolutionary process underlying the potassiation–depotassiation process, which is essential for the directional electrochemical performance optimization of KIBs. Finally, we raise some challenges in developing smart‐structured HC anode materials for KIBs, and propose rational design principles and perspectives serving as the guidance for the targeted optimization of HC‐based KIBs.

MOF‐derived Multi‐Shelled NiP2 Microspheres as High‐Performance Anode Materials for Sodium‐/Potassium‐Ion Batteries

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With the booming of renewable energy sources and the extensive promotion of large-scale energy storage devices, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) and potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) exhibit the potential to share the pressure on expensive lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in energy storage field. [1][2][3][4][5] The fascinating advantages of SIBs and PIBs include abundance of sodium and potassium resources, cost effectiveness, superior safety properties, and similar operating mechanism with LIBs. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] However, the commercial graphite anode exhibits a low theoretical capacity, largely limiting its practical application.

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Advances in Carbon Materials for Sodium and Potassium Storage

“…[40,41] For PIBs, the reaction mechanisms and different carbon anodes with their design strategies of heteroatoms doping, structure engineering, and carbon composites were also reviewed. [24,42,43] In addition, some reviews reported the advances and optimization strategies of the carbons and carbon-incorporated anodes for SIBs and PIBs, respectively. [24,44] Our group has paid attention to the strategies to enhance the initial Coulombic efficiency of carbon anodes for SIBs, [32] which was also attracted attention by He et al and Li et al [45,46] Except the material design, the reviews about the electrolyte design strategies, [47][48][49][50][51] and interfacial chemistries on carbon anodes for SIBs or PIBs were also studied, [49,50,52,53] respectively.…”

Bismuth nanoparticles embedded in a carbon skeleton as an anode for high power density potassium-ion batteries

“…Although various anodes (such as carbon materials, alloying materials, organic materials and metal chalcogenides) for PIBs have been reported, their applications in high power density PIBs still face challenges. [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28] Among these materials, metallic Bi shows huge potential for high power density PIBs due to the suitable redox potential, high electronic conductivity, and large theoretical capacity. [29][30][31][32] However, Bi anodes generally suffer from large volume changes during the charge/discharge process and thus exhibit poor cycling stability.…”