Efficient exfoliation N-doped graphene from N-containing bamboo-like carbon nanotubes for anode materials of Li-ion battery and Na-ion battery

Abstract

Nanosize N-doped graphene is prepared from N-containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by chemical exfoliation. The CNTs adopted for graphene are characterized by a discontinuous wall that consists of nanosize graphite layers, exhibiting a bamboo-like appearance. Take advantage of this characterization, the most time-consuming process of chemical oxidation that involves intercalation in graphene from CNT has been markedly reduced. The reduction in processing time is attributed to the diffusion distance of chemical oxidation intercalation into nanosize graphite composed of a bamboo-like carbon nanotube (BCNT) wall being far less than that of conventional chemical exfoliation into microsize graphite. The as-prepared nanosize N-doped graphene from BCNTs has shown an excellent electrochemical performance for Li-ion battery and Na-ion battery anode materials.