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Sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) has garnered increased interest for high-energy lithium–sulfur batteries owing to its high specific capacity and remarkable cyclic stability. However, the common electrolytes fail to stabilize both the...

The indiscriminate utilization of nondegradable polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-based products has triggered serious environmental pollution that has to be resolved vigorously. A simple synthesis of N-doped carbon nanotubes from recycled PET (NCNTs r-PET ) was developed by a nitric acid-assisted hydrothermal method. Experimental results and theoretical calculations show that the intrinsic defects in CNTs r-PET would induce N-doping by NH 3 generated from nitric acid during the hydrothermal process, thus producing the NCNTs r-PET . The life cycle assessment proves that the developed method for N-doped CNTs using r-PET as the carbon source is more environmentally friendly than the conventional chemical vapor deposition using acetylene as the carbon source. As a typical application, the NCNTs r-PET delivered an impressive sodium storage capacity with an ultralong lifespan. This work not only provides a new route to upcycling waste plastics into valuable carbonaceous materials in an ecofriendly manner, but also reveals a basic understanding of the N-doping mechanism in carbonaceous materials.

Rechargeable potassium (K) batteries with high energy densities, long cycle lives, and low costs have attracted tremendous interest in affordable and large-scale energy storage. However, the large size of K-ion...

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