A review on nanoconfinement engineering of red phosphorus for enhanced Li/Na/K-ion storage performances

Abstract Secondary batteries are widely used in energy storage equipment. To obtain high-performance batteries, the development and utilization of electrode materials with cheap price and ideal theoretical gravimetric and volumetric specific capacities have become particularly important. Naturally abundant and low-cost red phosphorus (RP) is recognized as an anode material with great promise because it has a theoretical capacity of 2596 mA h g-1 in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, owing to the inferior discharging, the capacity of pure RP has a fast decay. Nanoconfinement of RP nanoparticles within porous carbon framework is one of the efficient methods to overcome these problems. In this review, we introduce the recent progress of RP confinement into carbon matrix as an energy storage anode material in LIBs, SIBs and potassium-ion batteries (PIBs). The synthetic strategies, lithiation/sodiation/potassiation mechanism, and the electrochemical performances of RP/carbon composites (RP/C) with kinds of designed structures and P-C and P-O-C bond by kinds of methods are included. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of RP faced in the application development as anodes for LIBs/SIBs/PIBs are covered. This review will strengthen the understanding of composites of RP nanoparticles in porous carbon materials and aid researchers to carry out future work rationally.