Biphenylene monolayer: a novel nonbenzenoid carbon allotrope with potential application as an anode material for high-performance sodium-ion batteries

Allotrope metal structures composed of carbon as anode materials for metal-ion batteries are a current research hotspot. In this work, the recently synthesized graphene allotrope, two-dimensional (2D) biphenylene, consisting of tetragonal, hexagonal and octagonal carbon rings, was explored theoretically. Our first-principles calculations verified that 2D biphenylene has dynamical, mechanical and thermal stability and exhibits metallic features. Its novel structure can provide multiple adsorption sites for Na ions, a fast charge-discharge rate (low Na migration barriers of <0.2 eV) and high theoretical capacity (1075.37 mA h g-1). These superior properties, combined with its carbon abundance and light mass, make the biphenylene monolayer a promising high-performance anode for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs).