Optimal Kinetics Carbon Anodes via Dual-Functional Activation of Pores and Defects for Lithium-Ion Capacitors

Lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) have emerged as promising energy storage devices for applications requiring both high energy and high power densities. However, their performances are often limited by the kinetic imbalance between the battery-type anode and the capacitor-type cathode. In this work, we precisely prepared a micropore-dominated carbon anode combining abundant edge defects through a dual-functional activating method. The coupling effect from pore regulation and structural engineering enhances both the capacity and rate performances of the carbon anode. As a result, the modified porous nitrogen-doped carbon (PNC) achieves a high specific capacitance of 735.4 mAh g–1, an elevated capacitive contribution of 89.8%, and an improved lithium-ion diffusion coefficient of 2 × 10–9 cm2 s–1. The well-balanced kinetic matching between the PNC anode and the carbon cathode makes dual-carbon LIC deliver remarkable energy densities of 149.3 and 68.3 Wh kg–1 at power densities of 110 and 11,000 W kg–1, respectively. This work offers valuable insights into the rational design of advanced carbon anodes for high-performance dual-carbon LICs.