Synthesis of nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon nanotubes from novel cobalt-based MOF precursors for improving potassium-ion storage capability

• Published in: Journal of colloid and interface science Vol. 677; no. Pt A; pp. 35 - 44
• Main Authors: Yan, Chengzhan, Chao, Xin, Zhao, Huaping, Wang, Shun, Lei, Yong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.01.2025
• Subjects: Nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon nanotubes; Potassium-ion batteries; Precursors; Structural optimization; Structural optimization; Precursors; Nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon nanotubes; Potassium-ion batteries
• ISSN: 0021-9797; 1095-7103; 1095-7103
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.07.191

A precursor formulation strategy of compounding cobalt-based metal–organic framework (CMOF) with graphitic carbon nitride is developed to achieve the multifaceted structural optimization of amorphous carbon and improve its potassium-ion storage capability. [Display omitted] •Graphitic carbon nitride is composited with cobalt-based metal-organic frameworks.•The precursor composition guides the morphology transformation of amorphous carbon.•Multifaceted structural optimization of amorphous carbon is achieved via one step.•Structural optimization leads to improved potassium ion storage capability. Amorphous carbon materials with sophisticated morphologies, variable carbon layer structures, abundant defects, and tunable porosities are favorable as anodes for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs). Synthesizing amorphous carbon materials typically involves the pyrolysis of carbonaceous precursors. Nonetheless, there is still a lack of studies focused on achieving multifaceted structural optimizations of amorphous carbon through precursor formulation. Herein, nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon nanotubes (NACNTs) are derived from a novel composite precursor of cobalt-based metal–organic framework (CMOF) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN). The addition of g-CN in the precursor optimizes the structure of amorphous carbon such as morphology, interlayer spacing, nitrogen doping, and porosity. As a result, NACNTs demonstrate significantly improved electrochemical performance. The specific capacities of NACNTs after cycling at current densities of 100 mA/g and 1000 mA/g increased by 194 % and 230 %, reaching 346.6 mAh/g and 211.8 mAh/g, respectively. Furthermore, the NACNTs anode is matched with an organic cathode for full-cell evaluation. The full-cell attains a high specific capacity of 106 mAh/gcathode at a current density of 100 mA/g, retaining 90.5 % of the specific capacity of the cathode half-cell. This study provides a valuable reference for multifaceted structural optimization of amorphous carbon to improve potassium-ion storage capability.