Porous hard carbon microtubes from renewable cotton as high-performance anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

Consumer electronics or electric vehicles/power grids requires lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with an increasingly outstanding energy-storage performance. However, the present graphite anode still faces significant challenges on relatively low specific capacity and poor rate performance. Herein, porous hard carbon microtubes (HCMs) were prepared by an activation method using natural cotton as a precursor, and their performance as an anode electrode. The electrochemical results of HCMs showed high performance on initial Coulomb efficiency, rate performance and cycle stability. The micro structure of HCMs were characterized, and the mechanism of high-performance generation of HCMs was analyzed. This article may provide an effective method to improve the electrochemical performance of hard carbon, which is also benefit to further understanding the lithium storage mechanism in porous hard carbon materials.