Red Phosphorus Anchored on Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Bubble-Carbon Nanotube Network for Highly Stable and Fast-Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries

A nitrogen-doped carbon bubble-carbon nanotube@red phosphorus (N-CBCNT@rP) network composite is fabricated, featuring an rP film embedded in a highly N-doped CBCNT network with hierarchical pores of different sizes and interior void spaces. Highly N-doped CBCNT with an optimized structure is utilized to achieve an ultrahigh rP content of 53 wt% in the N-CBCNT@rP composite by the N-P bond, which shows a record rP content for rP-carbon composites by the vaporization-condensation process. When tested as an anode for lithium-ion batteries, the N-CBCNT@rP composite exhibits an ultrahigh initial Coulombic efficiency of 87.5%, high specific capacity, outstanding rate performance, and superior cycling stability at a high current density (capacity decay of 0.011% per cycle over 1500 cycles at 5 A g(-1)), which is the lowest capacity fading rate of those previously reported for rP-based electrodes. The superior lithium-ion storage performance of the N-CBCNT@rP composite electrode is primarily attributed to its structure. The 3D hierarchical conducting network of the N-CBCNT@rP composite with abundant N-P bonds endows the entire electrode with maximized conductivity for superior ion and electron transfer kinetics. Moreover, N-CBCNT networks with hierarchical pores of different sizes can fix the location of rP, prevent agglomeration, and avoid volume expansion of rP.

Automated summary

A nitrogen-doped carbon bubble-carbon nanotube@red phosphorus (N-CBCNT@rP) network composite with a high rP content of 53 wt% achieved through N-P bonds demonstrates superior performance and stability as an anode in lithium-ion batteries, attributed to its optimized structure and conducting network. The 3D hierarchical conducting network of N-CBCNT@rP composite with N-P bonds enhances conductivity for efficient ion and electron transfer kinetics, while hierarchical pores fix the location of rP, prevent agglomeration, and avoid rP volume expansion.