Carbon Fiber-Paper Supported Carbon Nanofoams As Device-Ready Electrode Architectures for Sodium-Ion Batteries

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Carbon nanofoam papers (CNFPs) in which resorcinol–formaldehyde-derived carbon nanofoam domains span the voids of commercial carbon fiber paper [1] show effective performance and function as device-ready electrodes for diverse energy-storage configurations. We recently demonstrated that CNFPs are promising anode candidates for nonaqueous Na-ion batteries, delivering specific capacity >200 mAh g–1 at a 1C rate and >150 mAh g–1 at 10C in half-cell tests [2]. Fast and reversible Na-ion storage is supported by an architected combination of the disordered nature of the hard carbon that comprises the solid-state CNF domains and the through-connected porosity of the nanofoam. For fundamental characterization of the charge-storage process, we use in situ optical imaging of CNFP electrodes to monitor color changes that correlate with various stages of Na-ion storage. These CNFPs can also be used as porous, conductive scaffolds for the inclusion of complementary charge-storing phases such as Na3V2(PO4)3, permitting the construction of full-cell Na-ion devices. Our results demonstrate the utility of CNFPs to construct next-generation Na-ion batteries with technologically relevant form factors and performance metrics.[1] J.C. Lytle, J.M. Wallace, M.B. Sassin, A.J. Barrow, J.W. Long, J.L. Dysart, C.H. Renninger, M.P. Saunders, N.L. Brandell, and D.R. Rolison, Energy Environ. Sci., 4 (2011) 1913–1925.[2] R.H. DeBlock, J.S. Ko, M.B. Sassin, A.N. Hoffmaster, B.S. Dunn, D.R. Rolison, and J.W. Long, Energy Storage Mater., 21 (2019) 581–486.