Reversible lithium intercalation in disordered carbon prepared from 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride

• DOI: 10.1007/s10008-007-0427-9
• Publication Date: 2007-09-26T13:57:19Z
• Authors: Zonghui Yi; Xiaoyan Han; Changchun Ai; Yongguang Liang; Jutang Sun
• Keywords: 7. Clean energy; 01 natural sciences; 0104 chemical sciences

The electrochemical properties of the 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA)-based carbon, synthesized by directly pyrolyzing PTCDA under an argon gas flow, have been firstly explored as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. PTCDA is decomposed in a single-step reaction, which was completed around 650 °C. X-ray diffraction studies indicated a disordered carbon structure, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results revealed that this PTCDA-based carbon had a pillar-like morphology with a diameter of approximately 1–4 μm and length of 5–20 μm. Electrochemical measurements showed that it delivered lithium insertion and deinsertion capacities of 496 and 311 mAh g−1, respectively, during the first cycle. The charge capacity retention from the 1st to the 50th is 93.2% with an average capacity fade of 0.14% per cycle. The coulombic efficiency of the Li insertion/deinsertion processes reached 99% after five cycles.