Densified graphene-like carbon nanosheets with enriched heteroatoms enabling superior gravimetric and volumetric potassium storage capacities

Constructing carbon electrodes with abundant heteroatoms and appropriate graphitic interlayer spacing remains a major challenge for achieving high gravimetric and volumetric potassium storage capacities with fast kinetics. Herein, we constructed 3D graphene-like N, F dual-doped carbon sheets induced by Ni template (N, F-CNS-Ni) with dense structure and rich active sites, providing a promising approach to address the facing obstacles. Highly reversible K-ion insertion/extraction is realized in the graphitic carbon structure, and K-adsorption capability is enhanced by introducing N/F heteroatoms. As a result, the N, F-CNS-Ni electrode exhibits ultrahigh gravimetric and volumetric capacities of 404.5 mA h g-1 and 281.3 mA h cm-3 at 0.05 A/g, respectively, and a superb capacity of 259.3 mA h g-1 with a capacity retention ratio of 90 % even after 600 cycles at 5 A/g. This work presents a simple Ni-based template method to prepare graphene-like carbon nanosheets with high packing density and rich heteroatoms, and offers mechanism insight for achieving superior K-ion storage.

Automated summary

N, F-CNS-Ni electrode exhibits ultrahigh gravimetric and volumetric capacities of 404.5 mA h g-1 and 281.3 mA h cm-3 at 0.05 A/g, respectively, and a superb capacity of 259.3 mA h g-1 with a capacity retention ratio of 90 % even after 600 cycles at 5 A/g.