Carbon inverse opal macroporous monolithic structures as electrodes for Na-ion and K-ion batteries

Carroll, Aoife; Grant, Alex; Zhang, Yan; Gulzar, Umair; Ahad, Syed Abdul; Geaney, Hugh; O'Dwyer, Colm

Carbon inverse opal macroporous monolithic structures as electrodes for Na-ion and K-ion batteries

cb

Files

Carroll_2024_J._Electrochem._Soc._171_030529.pdf(3.05 MB)

Date

2024-03-27

Authors

Carroll, Aoife

Grant, Alex

Zhang, Yan

Gulzar, Umair

Ahad, Syed Abdul

Geaney, Hugh

O'Dwyer, Colm

Publisher

IOP Publishing

Published Version

https://doii.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ad3399

Abstract

Highly ordered three-dimensionally structured carbon inverse opals (IOs) produced from sucrose are stable electrodes in sodium-ion and potassium-ion batteries. The walls of the ordered porous carbon structure contain short-range graphitic areas. The interconnected open-worked structure defines a conductive macroporous monolithic electrode that is easily wetted by electrolytes for Na-ion and K-ion systems. Electrochemical characterization in half-cells against Na metal electrodes reveals stable discharge capacities of 25 mAh g−1 at 35 mA g−1 and 40 mAh g−1 at 75 mA g−1 and 185 mA g−1. In K-ion half cells, the carbon IO delivers capacities of 32 mAh g−1 at 35 mA g−1 and ∼25 mAh g−1 at 75 mA g−1 and 185 mA g−1. The IOs demonstrate storage mechanisms involving both capacitive and diffusion-controlled processes. Comparison with non-templated carbon thin films highlights the superior capacity retention (72% for IO vs 58% for thin film) and cycling stability of the IO structure in Na-ion cells. Robust structural integrity against volume changes with larger ionic radius of potassium ions is maintained after 250 cycles in K-ion cells. The carbon IOs exhibit stable coulombic efficiency (>99%) in sodium-ion batteries and better coulombic efficiency during cycling compared to typical graphitic carbons.

Keywords

Carbon inverse opal macroporous monolithic structures , Na-ion , K-ion , Batteries , Electrodes

Citation

Carroll, A., Grant, A., Zhang, Y., Gulzar, U., Ahad, S.A., Geaney, H. and O’Dwyer, C. (2024) 'Carbon inverse opal macroporous monolithic structures as electrodes for Na-ion and K-ion batteries', Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 171(3), 030529 (10pp). https://doii.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ad3399