Nanoporous Carbon Sponge as the Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries

Lithium ion battery is the choice for future generations of portable electronics and hybrid and electric vehicles due to its high energy density, power density and long cycle life compared to other battery technologies. However, current graphite anode limits its application due to the low energy density derived from layered graphitic structure and low rate capability due to the slow diffusion of Li ion in graphite. In this study, a simple and versatile approach was developed to generate nanoporous carbon sponge using the combination of hard templating and etching reaction. The electrochemical properties have been tested with these novel anode materials, which showed remarkable electrochemical performance and cycling stability. Therefore, the nanoporous carbon sponge is promising to be used as the anode materials for next generation lithium ion batteries requiring high energy density and power density.