Growing curly graphene layer boosts hard carbon with superior sodium-ion storage

Benefiting from the distinctive ordering degree and local microstructure characteristics,hard carbon(HC)is considered as the most promising anode for sodium-ion batteries(SIBs).Unfortunately,the low initial Coulombic efficiency(ICE)and limited reversible capacity severely impede its extensive application.Here,a homogeneous curly graphene(CG)layer with a micropore structure on HC is designed and executed by a simple chemical vapor deposition method(without catalysts).CG not only improves the electronic/ionic conductivity of the hard carbon but also effectively shields its surface defects,enhancing its ICE.In particular,due to the spontaneous curling structural characteristics of CG sheets(CGs),the micropores(≤2 nm)formed provide additional active sites,increasing its capacity.When used as a sodium-ion battery anode,the HC-CG composite anode displayed an outstanding reversible capacity of 358 mAh·g^(-1),superior ICE of 88.6%,remarkable rate performance of 145.8 mAh·g^(-1)at 5 A·g^(-1),and long cycling life after 1000 cycles with 88.6%at 1 A·g^(-1).This work provides a simple defect/microstructure turning strategy for hard carbon anodes and deepens the understanding of Na+storage behavior in the plateau region,especially on the pore-filling mechanism by forming quasi-metallic clusters.