Growth of carbon nanofibers through chemical vapor deposition for enhanced sodium ion storage

Innovation of carbon anodes plays a significant role in the commercialization of Sodium-ion batteries. In this work, we report hybrid carbon nanofibers synthesized by a facile chemical vapor deposition method and explore their application potential as anode for sodium ion storage. The designed hybrid carbon nanofibers have diameters of 50−150 nm and show linear and spiral structures. Impressively, the carbon nanofibers anode exhibits good electrochemical performance with a high initial Coulombic efficiency of 87.6 % and excellent cycling stability with a capacity retention of 75.4 % at the 100th cycle. The improved Na-ion storage performance is attributed to the carbon nanofiber structure with considerable defect concentration and shortened transfer length for ions and electrons. Moreover, the fibrous structure is interconnected with cross-linked pores, contributing to good mechanical stability and reduced contact resistance. Our work may provide valuable inspiration for developing advanced electrodes for advanced alkali ion energy storage.