Optimization of Textural and Structural Properties of Carbon Materials for Sodium Dual-Ion Battery Electrodes

Sodium dual-ion batteries combine economic and environmental benefits by using carbon materials in both electrodes and sodium compounds in the electrolyte. Among other factors, their successful implementation for energy storage relies on optimization of the properties of the carbon electrode materials. To this end, carbon materials with a wide range of textural and structural properties were prepared by simply heat treating a single porous carbon in the absence or presence of a low-cost highly effective iron-based catalyst. These materials were investigated as anode or cathode in the sodium dual-ion batteries by prolonged galvanostatic cycling. The optimal textural and structural properties for carbon materials to achieve the best performance as electrodes in sodium dual-ion batteries were identified as having a high degree of graphitic structural order combined with minimal microporosity in the cathode and a non-graphitic structure with a layer spacing of around 0.37 nm and moderate microporosity in the anode.