Effect of cross-linking of polymer precursors on electrochemical properties of resultant carbons

Abstract

Urea–formaldehyde resin and polymethacrylate, as two typical polymers for heterochain and carbon chain polymers, respectively, were synthesized and pyrolyzed to prepare carbonaceous materials for the anode of lithium ion batteries. The effect of cross-linking structure of both polymeric precursors on the physical and electrochemical properties of as-prepared carbons was investigated by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction and cyclic charge/discharge method and compared with each other. It was found that, even though two typical types of polymers were used, the two types of resultant carbons showed the same trend with the change of cross-linking density of polymers in the size of graphene layers and in the lithium accommodation capacity. The same positive influence of the cross-link structure of both representative polymers on the ability of lithium insertion in resultant carbons was confirmed.