Fluorine-doped micropore-covered mesoporous carbon nanofibers for long-lasting anode-free sodium metal batteries

Abstract Anode-free sodium metal batteries have gained significant attention due to the abundance of their material resources and high energy densities. However, their practical application is hindered by continuous sodium consumption and dendrite growth characteristics. In this study, we present fl...

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Main Authors: Haolin Zhu, Linfeng Peng, Junxiu Wu, Siwu Li, Qiang Wu, Shijie Cheng, Jia Xie, Jun Lu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60168-8
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author Haolin Zhu
Linfeng Peng
Junxiu Wu
Siwu Li
Qiang Wu
Shijie Cheng
Jia Xie
Jun Lu
author_facet Haolin Zhu
Linfeng Peng
Junxiu Wu
Siwu Li
Qiang Wu
Shijie Cheng
Jia Xie
Jun Lu
author_sort Haolin Zhu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Anode-free sodium metal batteries have gained significant attention due to the abundance of their material resources and high energy densities. However, their practical application is hindered by continuous sodium consumption and dendrite growth characteristics. In this study, we present fluorine-doped micropore-covered mesoporous carbon fibers to enhance the cycling performance of anode-free sodium metal batteries. The introduction of electronegative fluorine generates more Lewis acid sites and sodiophilic Zn-Nx sites, thereby suppressing electrolyte decomposition and promoting uniform sodium metal deposition. Structural modifications are implemented to create a micropore-covered mesoporous framework, resulting in the formation of a thin, uniform solid electrolyte interphase that facilitates Na metal confinement and self-smoothing. The carbon fibers as the current collector exhibit a low sodium nucleation overpotential and rapid sodium thermal infusion, demonstrating highly reversible sodium plating/stripping for more than 5000 cycles with an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.93% at a high current density of 5 mA cm−2. Furthermore, anode-free pouch cell with high-loading positive electrode achieves stable cycling characteristics for 200 cycles with 90% capacity retention. These findings demonstrate the efficacy of tailoring the compositions and microstructures of porous carbon current collectors for enhancing the cycling life and stability characteristics of sodium metal batteries.
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issn 2041-1723
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publisher Nature Portfolio
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spelling doaj-art-6930de9f6df340c2b7801a53ac92695c2025-08-20T03:03:33ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111210.1038/s41467-025-60168-8Fluorine-doped micropore-covered mesoporous carbon nanofibers for long-lasting anode-free sodium metal batteriesHaolin Zhu0Linfeng Peng1Junxiu Wu2Siwu Li3Qiang Wu4Shijie Cheng5Jia Xie6Jun Lu7State Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Engineering and Technology, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyState Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Engineering and Technology, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyCollege of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang UniversityState Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Engineering and Technology, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyState Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Engineering and Technology, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyState Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Engineering and Technology, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyState Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Engineering and Technology, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyCollege of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang UniversityAbstract Anode-free sodium metal batteries have gained significant attention due to the abundance of their material resources and high energy densities. However, their practical application is hindered by continuous sodium consumption and dendrite growth characteristics. In this study, we present fluorine-doped micropore-covered mesoporous carbon fibers to enhance the cycling performance of anode-free sodium metal batteries. The introduction of electronegative fluorine generates more Lewis acid sites and sodiophilic Zn-Nx sites, thereby suppressing electrolyte decomposition and promoting uniform sodium metal deposition. Structural modifications are implemented to create a micropore-covered mesoporous framework, resulting in the formation of a thin, uniform solid electrolyte interphase that facilitates Na metal confinement and self-smoothing. The carbon fibers as the current collector exhibit a low sodium nucleation overpotential and rapid sodium thermal infusion, demonstrating highly reversible sodium plating/stripping for more than 5000 cycles with an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.93% at a high current density of 5 mA cm−2. Furthermore, anode-free pouch cell with high-loading positive electrode achieves stable cycling characteristics for 200 cycles with 90% capacity retention. These findings demonstrate the efficacy of tailoring the compositions and microstructures of porous carbon current collectors for enhancing the cycling life and stability characteristics of sodium metal batteries.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60168-8
spellingShingle Haolin Zhu
Linfeng Peng
Junxiu Wu
Siwu Li
Qiang Wu
Shijie Cheng
Jia Xie
Jun Lu
Fluorine-doped micropore-covered mesoporous carbon nanofibers for long-lasting anode-free sodium metal batteries
Nature Communications
title Fluorine-doped micropore-covered mesoporous carbon nanofibers for long-lasting anode-free sodium metal batteries
title_full Fluorine-doped micropore-covered mesoporous carbon nanofibers for long-lasting anode-free sodium metal batteries
title_fullStr Fluorine-doped micropore-covered mesoporous carbon nanofibers for long-lasting anode-free sodium metal batteries
title_full_unstemmed Fluorine-doped micropore-covered mesoporous carbon nanofibers for long-lasting anode-free sodium metal batteries
title_short Fluorine-doped micropore-covered mesoporous carbon nanofibers for long-lasting anode-free sodium metal batteries
title_sort fluorine doped micropore covered mesoporous carbon nanofibers for long lasting anode free sodium metal batteries
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60168-8
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