Integrated Anodes from Heteroatoms (N, S, and F) Co-Doping Antimony/Carbon Composite for Efficient Alkaline Ion (Li⁺/K⁺) Storage

Sb-based materials are widely used in alkali metal-ion batteries due to large specific capacity, low cost, and a suitable operating voltage platform. However, they suffer from tardy dynamic performance and structural instability, along with a vague storage mechanism for alkali metal ion (Li+/K+) confining their further popularization. Herein, a scalable strategy is proposed to make Sb nanoparticles encapsulated in the N, S, and F co-doping carbon skeleton (Sb@NSF-C) with a three-dimensional ordered hierarchical porous structure. The Sb@NSF-C composite shows remarkable electrochemical performances in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) due to improved Li+/K+ diffusion kinetics, rapid ion transport path, and stable structure. The Li+/K+ storage mechanism is detailedly investigated for the Sb@NSF-C composite. This work may provide a feasible method to design electrode materials for LIBs and PIBs with excellent performances.