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Vol. 13 (2021)

Highly Dispersed Cobalt Nanoparticles Embedded in Nitrogen-Doped Graphitized Carbon for Fast and Durable Potassium Storage

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-020-00534-x
Xiaodong Shi
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, People’s Republic of China
Zhenming Xu
University of Michigan‑Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People’s Republic of China
Cheng Han
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, People’s Republic of China
Runze Shi
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, People’s Republic of China
Xianwen Wu
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, People’s Republic of China
Bingan Lu
School of Physics and Electronics, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing for Vehicle Body, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People’s Republic of China
Jiang Zhou
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, People’s Republic of China
Shuquan Liang
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Jiang Zhou

zhou_jiang@csu.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 13 (2021), Article Number: 21

Abstract

Potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) have great potential for applications in large-scale energy storage devices. However, the larger radius of K+ leads to sluggish kinetics and inferior cycling performance, severely restricting its practical applicability. Herein, we propose a rational strategy involving a Prussian blue analogue-derived graphitized carbon anode with fast and durable potassium storage capability, which is constructed by encapsulating cobalt nanoparticles in nitrogen-doped graphitized carbon (Co-NC). Both experimental and theoretical results show that N-doping effectively promotes the uniform dispersion of cobalt nanoparticles in the carbon matrix through Co–N bonds. Moreover, the cobalt nanoparticles and strong Co–N bonds synergistically form a three-dimensional conductive network, increase the number of adsorption sites, and reduce the diffusion energy barrier, thereby facilitating the adsorption and the diffusion kinetics. These multiple effects lead to enhanced reversible capacities of 305 and 208.6 mAh g−1 after 100 and 300 cycles at 0.05 and 0.1 A g−1, respectively, demonstrating the applicability of the Co-NC anode for KIBs.


Highlights:


1 Small cobalt nanoparticles are carefully encapsulated into a N-doped carbon shell (Co-NC) by calcining a Prussian blue analogue precursor.
2 The presence of cobalt nanoparticles and Co-N bonds not only promotes adsorption behavior, but also reduces the diffusion energy barrier, enabling fast diffusion kinetics of K+ ions.
3 The good diffusion kinetics and capacitive adsorption behavior of the Co-NC material synergistically contributes to enhanced potassium storage performances.

Keywords

Cobalt nanoparticles Nitrogen-doped graphitized carbon Co–N bonds Cycling stability Potassium-ion batteries
Shi, Xiaodong, Zhenming Xu, Cheng Han, Runze Shi, Xianwen Wu, Bingan Lu, Jiang Zhou, and Shuquan Liang. 2020. “Highly Dispersed Cobalt Nanoparticles Embedded in Nitrogen-Doped Graphitized Carbon for Fast and Durable Potassium Storage”. Nano-Micro Letters 13 (November):21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-020-00534-x.
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