N, S co-doped coal-based hard carbon prepared by two-step carbonization and a molten salt template method for sodium storage

Hard carbon, known for its abundant resources, stable structure and high safety, has emerged as the most popular anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Among various sources, coal-derived hard carbon has attracted extensive attention. In this work, N and S co-doped coal-based carbon material (NSPC1200) was synthesized through a combination of two-step carbonization process and heteroatom doping using long-flame coal as a carbon source, thiourea as a nitrogen and sulfur source, and NaCl as a template. The two-step carbonization process played a crucial role in adjusting the structure of carbon microcrystals and expanding the interlayer spacing. The N and S co-doping regulated the electronic structure of carbon materials, endowing more active sites. Additionally, the introduction of NaCl as a template contributed to the construction of pore structure, which facilitates better contact between electrodes and electrolytes, enabling more efficient transport of Na⁺ and electrons. Under the synergistic effect, NSPC1200 exhibited exceptional sodium storage capacity, reaching 314.2 mAh g⁻¹ at 20 mA g⁻¹. Furthermore, NSPC1200 demonstrated commendable cycling stability, maintaining a capacity of 224.4 mAh g⁻¹ even after 200 cycles. This work successfully achieves the strategic tuning of the microstructure of coal-based carbon materials, ultimately obtaining hard carbon anode with excellent electrochemical performance.