Economic and High Performance Phosphorus–Carbon Composite for Lithium and Sodium Storage

Porous carbon derived from rice hulls has potential for application in phosphorus–carbon composites as high capacity anode materials for lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries. The native composition of rice husks produces a porous carbon with a unique doped structure, as well as an efficient pore and channel structure, which may facilitate high and stable lithium storage. After cycling for over 100 cycles, the composite delivered a capacity of about 1293 mAh g–1, as well as a coulombic efficiency of nearly 99% at the current density of 130 mA g–1 with a capacity density of 1.43 mAh cm–2. High specific discharge capacities were maintained at different current densities (∼2224, ∼1895, ∼1642, and ∼1187 mAh g–1composite at 130, 260, 520, and 1300 mA g–1, respectively). This study may offer a golden opportunity to change the humble fate of rice hulls, and also pave the way toward successful battery application for phosphorus–carbon composite anode materials.