Mussel‐Inspired Nitrogen‐Doped Porous Carbon as Anode Materials for Sodium‐Ion Batteries

The two feasible approaches such as constructing a porous structure and doping with heteroatoms are used to improve the electrochemical performance of carbon as the anode material for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). A facile colloidal crystal templating method to prepare mussel‐inspired nitrogen‐doped porous carbon derived from polydopamine (N‐cPDA) for SIBs with superior electrochemical performance is demonstrated. The N‐cPDA is synthesized by carbonization of polydopamine (PDA) that is polymerized in the presence of self‐assembled poly (methyl methacrylate) particles. The N‐cPDA exhibits a high reversible capacity of 301 mAh g −1 at 0.03 A g −1 and a long cycle lifetime, retaining 80% of the initial capacity after 900 cycles. Furthermore, the first‐principle calculations are performed to evaluate the influences of the N‐doped porous structure on the Na + diffusion barrier and electronic conductivity, which provides an insight into developing and designing the new anode materials for SIBs.