Tuning Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Electrodes via Synthesis Temperature Adjustment to Improve Sodium- and Lithium-Ion Storage

Structural imperfections, heteroatom dopants, and the interconnected pore structure of carbon materials have a huge impact on their electrochemical performance in lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries due to the specific ion transport and the dominant storage mechanism at surface defect sites. In this work, mesopore-enriched nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) materials were produced with template-assisted chemical vapor deposition using calcium tartrate as the template precursor and acetonitrile as the carbon and nitrogen source. The chemical states of nitrogen, the volume of mesopores, and the specific surface areas of the materials were regulated by adjusting the synthesis temperature. The electrochemical testing of NC materials synthesized at 650, 750, and 850 degrees C revealed the best performance of the NC-650 sample, which was able to deliver 182 mA center dot h center dot g(-1) in sodium-ion batteries and 1158 mA center dot h center dot g(-1) in lithium-ion batteries at a current density of 0.05 A center dot g(-1). Our study shows the role of defect sites, including carbon monovacancies and nitrogen-terminated vacancies, in the binding and accumulation of sodium. The results provide a strategy for managing the carbon structure and nitrogen states to achieve a high alkali-metal-ion storage capacity and long cycling stability, thereby facilitating the electrochemical application of NC materials.

Automated summary

In this work, mesopore-enriched nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) materials were synthesized using template-assisted chemical vapor deposition. The best electrochemical performance was observed in the NC-650 sample, which delivered a discharge capacity of 182 mA center dot h center dot g(-1) in sodium-ion batteries and 1158 mA center dot h center dot g(-1) in lithium-ion batteries at a current density of 0.05 A center dot g(-1). The study reveals the important role of defect sites in the binding and accumulation of sodium, providing a strategy for optimizing the carbon structure and nitrogen states to enhance the alkali-metal-ion storage capacity and cycling stability of NC materials.