Artificial SEI for Superhigh-Performance K-Graphite Anode

Although graphite with its merits of low cost, abundance, and environmental friendliness is a potential anode material for potassium ion batteries (PIBs), it suffers from a limited cycle life due to a severe decomposition of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) in organic electrolytes. Herein, a simple and viable method is demonstrated for the first time through which an ultra-thin, uniform, dense, and stable artificial inorganic SEI film can be prepared on commercial graphite anodes and used with traditional carbonate electrolytes to achieve PIBs with long-cycle stability and high initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE). Specifically, such commercial graphite anodes exhibit a long-term cycling stability for more than 1000 cycles at 100 mA g(-1) (a reversible capacity of around 260 mAh g(-1)) and a high average CE (around 99.9%) in traditional carbonate electrolytes with no discernable decay in capacity. More importantly, the commercial graphite anodes with the artificial inorganic SEI film in traditional carbonate electrolytes can deliver a high ICE of 93% (the highest ICE ever reported for PIBs anodes until now), which improves the performance of the PIB full cell. Considering the high ICE and long cycle stability performance, this study can promote the rapid deployment of PIBs on a commercial scale.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates the use of artificial inorganic SEI film to improve the performance of commercial graphite anodes in PIBs, achieving long cycle stability and high initial Coulombic efficiency.