Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• N-doping introduces defects that alter the electronic structure and electrochemical activity of carbon materials, enhancing their suitability for high-performance applications. • Various preparation methods, including in-situ techniques (direct pyrolysis, CVD, solvothermal, arc discharge) and post-treatment processes (heat treatment, plasma, ball-milling, chemical oxidation), enable tunable N content and configuration. • N content and configuration critically influence crystallinity, electronic conductivity, wettability, and chemical reactivity, which in turn determine sodium storage performance. • The review provides a comprehensive framework for optimizing N-doped carbon materials for sodium-ion batteries, highlighting current challenges and future research directions.
Abstract
Defect engineering by heteroatom doping gives carbon materials some new characteristics such as a different electronic structure and a high electrochemical activity, making them suitable for high-performance applications. N-doping has been widely investigated because of its similar atom radius to carbon, high electronegativity as well as many different configurations. We summarize the preparation methods and properties of N-doped carbon materials, and discuss their possible use in sodium ion storage. The relationships between N content/configuration and crystallinity, electronic conductivity, wettability, chemical reactivity as well as sodium ion storage performance are discussed.
1. Introduction
Carbon materials are widely used in many fields including optical components, electronic communication, biomedicine, water purification, gas separation, catalysts carriers, electrochemical devices, as well as composite materials owing to their abundant sources, diverse morphologies and stable physicochemical properties[1–3]. In particular, the consecutive discovery and application of nanocarbon materials such as fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, graphene propel carbon material science into a prominent research domain[4–6]. Recently, the rapid transformation of social energy structure from fossil fuels to clean energy (e.g., wind, solar and hydrogen energy) has promoted the development of energy conversion and storage devices. Due to the advantages of high electrochemical performance and low-cost, carbon materials have witnessed a resurgence in laboratory research and industrial production[7–9]. The microcrystalline structure of carbon materials (e.g., crystallite size, defects) determines their basic properties including pore structure, conductivity, mechanical properties, and chemical activity, which further significantly affects their practical application[10–12]. As the demand for enhanced performance of carbon materials, structure regulation has attracted more and more attention and becomes a research hotspot.
Defect engineering is a promising strategy for the structural design of carbon materials, encompassing the deliberate introduction of intrinsic (e.g., edges, vacancies, and Stone-Wales defects) and extrinsic defects (non-carbon components)[13–16]. Among them, heteroatom (e.g., N, B, S, P, O) doping and functional group modification are commonly used, which provide an opportunity for the controllable structure and performance optimization of carbon materials towards their diverse applications[17–21]. Especially, N possesses particular prominence for some main reasons[22–27]: (1) The similar atomic radius with C facilitates its substitution into the carbon skeleton; (2) Its high electronegativity provides n-type charge carriers and modulates the charge density of the around C, thereby influencing the electronic properties of carbon materials; (3) Multiplex N configurations can selectively endow carbon materials with some structure properties. Therefore, the structure and performance modification of carbon materials by N-doping have been extensively investigated, which need to be reviewed to provide a reference for the further research.
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YUAN Ren-lu, HOU Ruo-yang, SHANG Lei, LIU Xue-wei, LI Ang, CHEN Xiao-hong, SONG Huai-he (2024). The preparation and properties of N-doped carbon materials and their use for sodium storage. New Carbon Materials. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1872-5805_N
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main preparation methods for N-doped carbon materials?
The main preparation methods include in-situ techniques such as direct pyrolysis, chemical vapor deposition, solvothermal, and arc discharge, as well as post-treatment processes like heat treatment, plasma treatment, ball-milling, and chemical oxidation.
How does N-doping affect the properties of carbon materials?
N-doping introduces defects and alters the electronic structure, enhancing electrochemical activity. It also influences crystallinity, electronic conductivity, wettability, and chemical reactivity, which are crucial for applications like sodium storage.
Why is N-doping particularly suitable for sodium-ion storage?
N-doping creates active sites and improves the electronic conductivity and wettability of carbon materials, which enhances sodium ion adsorption and diffusion, leading to improved sodium storage performance.
What is the significance of N configuration in carbon materials?
Different N configurations (e.g., pyridinic, pyrrolic, graphitic) have distinct effects on the electronic properties and reactivity of carbon materials, allowing for tailored performance in various applications.
What are the current challenges in the research of N-doped carbon materials?
Challenges include precise control of N content and configuration, scalability of preparation methods, and understanding the structure-property relationships to optimize performance for practical applications.
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