MgO-Template Synthesis of Extremely High Capacity Hard Carbon for Na-Ion Battery

Extremely high capacity hard carbon for Na-ion battery, delivering 478 mAh g^-1 , is successfully synthesized by heating a freeze-dried mixture of magnesium gluconate and glucose by a MgO-template technique. Influences of synthetic conditions and nano-structures on electrochemical Na storage properties in the hard carbon are systematically studied to maximize the reversible capacity. Nano-sized MgO particles are formed in a carbon matrix prepared by pre-treatment of the mixture at 600 °C. Through acid leaching of MgO and carbonization at 1500 °C, resultant hard carbon demonstrates an extraordinarily large reversible capacity of 478 mAh g^-1 with a high Coulombic efficiency of 88 % at the first cycle.