Sodiophilicity/potassiophilicity chemistry in sodium/potassium metal anodes

Heteroatom-doped carbon materials have been widely used as sodium (Na) and potassium (K) metal anode frameworks to achieve uniform Na and K depositions. If the origin of the Sodiophilicity and potassiophilicity of doping sites in heteroatom-doped carbon host are clearly understood, the nucleation and growth behavior of Na and K can be precisely regulated in working batteries. Herein the Sodiophilicity and potassiophilicity chemistries of carbon materials are probed through first-principles calculations. The local dipole of doping functional groups and charge transfer during Na/K deposition are regarded as key principles to reveal the sodiophilic and potassiophilic nature of doping sites. Especially, O-B, O-S, and O-P co-doping strategy are predicted to be effective methods to improve the Sodiophilicity and potassiophilicity of carbon hosts and thus render safe and dendrite-free Na and K metal anodes. This work affords a deep and insightful understanding of Sodiophilicity and potassiophilicity chemistry of Na and K anodes and establishes general principles of designing highly sodiophilic and potassiophilic carbon frameworks. (c) 2020 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press. All rights reserved.