Rechargeable Potassium-Ion Full Cells Operating at -40 °C

Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) are promising for cryogenic energy storage. However, current researches on low-temperature PIBs are limited to half cells utilizing potassium metal as an anode, and realizing rechargeable full cells is challenged by lacking viable anode materials and compatible electrolytes. Herein, a hard carbon (HC)-based low-temperature potassium-ion full cell is successfully fabricated for the first time. Experimental evidence and theoretical analysis revealed that potassium storage behaviors of HC anodes in the matched low-temperature electrolyte involve defect adsorption, interlayer co-intercalation, and nanopore filling. Notably, these unique potassiation processes exhibited low interfacial resistances and small reaction activation energies, enabling an excellent cycling performance of HC with a capacity of 175 mAh g^-1 at -40 °C (68 % of its room-temperature capacity). Consequently, the HC-based full cells demonstrated impressive rechargeability and high energy density above 100 Wh kg^-1 _cathode at -40 °C, representing a significant advancement in the development of PIBs.