Phosphorus-carbon composites as battery anode materials

Abstract

An electrochemical device includes an anode containing a phosphorus-carbon composite including a conductive carbon matrix and nano-sized phosphorus particles, wherein the nano-sized phosphorus particles are uniformly dispersed on the surface and/or pores of the carbon matrix.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrochemical device comprising an anode comprising a phosphorus-carbon composite comprising a conductive carbon matrix and nano-sized phosphorus particles, wherein:
 the nano-sized phosphorus particles comprise black phosphorus, red phosphorus, white phosphorus, violet phosphorus, or any combination thereof;   the nano-sized phosphorus particles are uniformly dispersed on the surface and/or pores of the carbon matrix; and   the carbon matrix comprises:
 one or more of graphite, graphene, expanded graphite, reduced graphene oxide, acetylene black, carbon black, a metal-organic framework, porous carbon, carbon spheres, or carbon aerogel; and 
 one or more of single-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotube arrays, polypyrrole, or polyaniline. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electrochemical device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical device is a sodium-ion battery. 
     
     
         3 . The electrochemical device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical device is a zinc-ion battery. 
     
     
         4 . The electrochemical device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical device is a calcium-ion battery. 
     
     
         5 . The electrochemical device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical device is a magnesium-ion battery. 
     
     
         6 . The electrochemical device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical device is an aluminum-ion battery. 
     
     
         7 . The electrochemical device of  claim 2 , wherein the sodium-ion battery further comprises a cathode, a separator and a non-aqueous electrolyte. 
     
     
         8 . The electrochemical device of  claim 7 , wherein the cathode comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of a cathode active material, a current collector, a conductive carbon material, and a binder. 
     
     
         9 . An anode comprising a phosphorus-carbon composite comprising a conductive carbon matrix and nano-sized phosphorus particles, wherein:
 the nano-sized phosphorus particles comprise black phosphorus, red phosphorus, white phosphorus, violet phosphorus, or any combination thereof;   the nano-sized phosphorus particles are uniformly dispersed on the surface and/or pores of the carbon matrix and   the carbon matrix comprises:
 one or more of graphite, graphene, expanded graphite, reduced graphene oxide, acetylene black, carbon black, a metal-organic framework, porous carbon, carbon spheres, and carbon aerogel; and 
 one or more of single-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotube arrays, polypyrrole, and polyaniline. 
   
     
     
         10 . The anode of  claim 9 , further comprising a current collector, a conductive agent, a binder, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A phosphorus-carbon composite comprising a conductive carbon matrix and nano-sized phosphorus particles, wherein:
 the nano-sized phosphorus particles comprise black phosphorus, red phosphorus, white phosphorus, violet phosphorus, or any combination thereof;   the nano-sized phosphorus particles are uniformly dispersed on the surface and/or pores of the carbon matrix; and   the carbon matrix comprises:
 one or more of graphite, graphene, expanded graphite, reduced graphene oxide, acetylene black, carbon black, a metal-organic framework, porous carbon, carbon spheres, or carbon aerogel; and 
 one or more of single-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotube arrays, polypyrrole, or polyaniline. 
   
     
     
         12 . The phosphorus-carbon composite of  claim 11 , wherein the nano-sized phosphorus particles comprise red phosphorus, black phosphorus, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The phosphorus-carbon composite of  claim 11 , wherein the nano-sized phosphorus particles have a particle size of about 1 nm to about 200 nm. 
     
     
         14 . The phosphorus-carbon composite of  claim 11  having a carbon matrix content of about 1% to about 70% by weight of the composite. 
     
     
         15 . The phosphorus-carbon composite of  claim 11  having a phosphorus content of about 0.1% to about 99.9% by weight of the composite. 
     
     
         16 . A method to prepare the phosphorus-carbon composite of  claim 11 , the method comprising ball milling a mixture comprising two or more precursors for the conductive carbon matrix; and phosphorus. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the phosphorus is red phosphorus, black phosphorus, or a combination thereof.