Enhanced capacity of chemically bonded phosphorus/carbon composite as an anode material for potassium-ion batteries

Potassium-ion batteries are attracting great attention as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to the abundance and low price of potassium. Herein, the phosphorus/carbon composite, obtained by a simple ball-milling of 20 wt% commercial red phosphorus and 80 wt% graphite, is studied as a novel anode for potassium-ion batteries. Considering the high theoretical specific capacity of phosphorus and formation of stable phosphorus-carbon bond, which can alleviate the volume expansion efficiently, the phosphorus/carbon composite exhibits a high charge capacity of 323.5 mA h g−1 after 50 cycles at a current density of 50 mA g−1 with moderate rate capability and cycling stability. By the X-ray diffraction analysis, the alloying–dealloying mechanism of phosphorus is proposed to form a KP phase. Meanwhile, prepotassiation treatment is conducted to improve the low initial coulomb efficiency.