Ultrafast Carbonized Wood of Electrode-Scaled Aligned-Porous Structure for High-Performance Lithium Batteries

Abstract

The use of carbonized wood in various functional devices is attracting considerable attention due to its low cost, vertical channels, and high electrical conduction. However, the conventional carbonization method requires a long processing time and an inert atmosphere. Here, a microwave-assisted ultrafast carbonization technique was developed that carbonizes natural wood in seconds without the need for an inert atmosphere, and the obtained aligned-porous carbonized wood provided an excellent electrochemical performance as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. This ultrafast carbonization technique simultaneously produced ZnO nanoparticles during the carbonization process that were uniformly distributed on the aligned-porous carbon. The hierarchical structure of carbonized wood functionalized with ZnO nanoparticles was used as a host for achieving high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries: the highly conductive carbonized wood framework with vertical channels provided good electron transport pathways, and the homogeneously dispersed ZnO nanoparticles effectively adsorbed lithium polysulfide and catalyzed its conversion reactions. In summary, a new method was developed to realize the ultrafast carbonization of biomass materials with decorated metal oxide nanoparticles.

Reinforced Interfacial Interaction between Si and Graphite To Improve the Cyclic Stability of Lithium-Ion Batteries

“…Due to variations in vibrational modes of carbon atoms in different structures, the D band (∼1360 cm −1 ) and G band (∼1584 cm −1 ) are commonly recognized as representations of disordered carbon and ordered carbon respectively, 29,30 and the intensity ratio of the D band to the G band (I D /I G ) can serve as a reflection of the degree of graphitization in carbon materials. 31 Both Si&AG and AG exhibit a prominent G band and a negligible D band, and the calculated I D /I G values of Si&AG and AG are 0.35 and 0.29, respectively. The slight reduction in graphitization observed for Si&AG can be attributed to Si deposition and the formation of SiC, which is also consistent with the observations in HR-TEM image (Figure 2f).…”

“…The Raman spectrum reveals the presence of typical peaks of Si, as shown in Figure S4. , A more detailed examination of the locally enlarged image (Figure a) enabled a clearer visualization of the carbon peak. Due to variations in vibrational modes of carbon atoms in different structures, the D band (∼1360 cm –1 ) and G band (∼1584 cm –1 ) are commonly recognized as representations of disordered carbon and ordered carbon respectively, , and the intensity ratio of the D band to the G band ( I D / I G ) can serve as a reflection of the degree of graphitization in carbon materials . Both Si&AG and AG exhibit a prominent G band and a negligible D band, and the calculated I D / I G values of Si&AG and AG are 0.35 and 0.29, respectively.…”

Systematic Study on Heating Characteristics of a Rotating Coaxial Probe-Type Microwave Reactor

“…Specific particles selectively absorb MW energy, achieving rapid volumetric heating, omitting the heat conduction process, and quickly attaining high temperature and pressure. 13 This significantly solves the issues of the long reaction cycles and difficult control in closed high-temperature and highpressure systems. 14−16 As a result, the synthesis cycle of nanomaterials can be dramatically compressed.…”