Alginic acid-derived mesoporous carbonaceous materials (Starbon®) as negative electrodes for lithium ion batteries : Importance of porosity and electronic conductivity

Alginic acid-derived mesoporous carbonaceous materials (Starbon® A800 series) were investigated as negative electrodes for lithium ion batteries. To this extent, a set of mesoporous carbons with different pore volume and electronic conductivity was tested. The best electrochemical performance was obtained for A800 with High Pore Volume (A800HPV), which displays both the highest pore volume (0.9 cm3 g−1) and the highest electronic conductivity (84 S m−1) of the tested materials. When compared to a commercial mesoporous carbon, A800HPV was found to exhibit both better long-term stability, and a markedly improved rate capability. The presence of a hierarchical interconnected pore network in A800HPV, accounting for a high electrolyte accessibility, could lay at the origin of the good electrochemical performance. Overall, the electronic conductivity and the mesopore size appear to be the most important parameters, much more than the specific surface area. Finally, A800HPV electrodes display similar electrochemical performance when formulated with or without added conductive additive, which could make for a simpler and more eco-friendly electrode processing.