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Published on: March 27, 2019
Microstructure Regulation of Hard Carbon through a Sacrificial Pore-Forming Strategy for High-Rate Sodium Storage.
Juncheng Liu1, Yanxia Sun1, Chunxi Hai1
1College of Materials and Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, First Dongsanhuan Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610059, P.R. China.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a novel hard carbon anode for sodium-ion batteries using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a pore-forming agent. This enhances sodium storage capacity and rate performance, paving the way for better batteries.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Hard carbon is a promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries, offering tunable structure, low working potential, and stable cycling.
- However, limitations in specific surface area, pore structure, and interlayer spacing hinder its rate performance and sodium storage capacity.
- The trade-off between sloping and plateau capacity needs to be addressed for improved performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance the performance of hard carbon anodes for sodium-ion batteries.
- To investigate the effect of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a sacrificial pore-forming agent on hard carbon structure and properties.
- To elucidate the sodium storage mechanism in the modified hard carbon.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a green phenolic resin precursor system with PVP as a pore-forming agent.
- High-temperature carbonization to induce gas-phase etching and pore formation.
- Structural characterization (XRD, Raman), electrochemical performance analysis, and DFT calculations.
Main Results:
- PVP decomposition during carbonization inhibited graphitic stacking and created abundant surface defects and open/closed pores.
- The optimized hard carbon (HC-PVP-10%) achieved a reversible capacity of 335 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C.
- A competitive rate performance of 235 mAh g-1 was maintained at 5 C.
Conclusions:
- The study demonstrates that PVP effectively regulates hard carbon's structure, improving sodium storage and rate capabilities.
- The sodium storage mechanism is confirmed to be a combination of adsorption, intercalation, and filling.
- This research offers insights for designing advanced hard carbon anodes for high-energy-density and fast-charging sodium-ion batteries.
