Laser-formed nanoporous graphite anodes for enhanced lithium-ion battery performance

Lithium-ion batteries are pivotal in modern energy storage, commonly utilizing graphite anodes for their high theoretical capacity and long cycle life. However, graphite anodes face inherent limitations, such as restricted lithium-ion storage capacity and slow diffusion rates. Enhancing the porosity of graphite and increasing d-spacing in expanded graphite anodes have been explored to improve lithium-ion diffusion and intercalation. Recent advancements suggest that nanoscale modifications, such as utilizing nano-graphite and graphene, can further enhance performance. Laser processing has emerged as a promising technique for synthesizing and modifying graphite and graphene-related materials, offering control over surface defects and microstructure. Here, we demonstrate an industrially compatible one-step laser processing method to transform a nano-graphite and graphene mixture into a nanoporous matrix, significantly improving lithium-ion battery performance. The laser-processed anodes demonstrated significantly enhanced specific capacities at all charge rates, with improved relative performance at higher charge rates. Additionally, long-term cycling at 1 C showed that laser-processed cells outperformed their non-processed counterparts, with specific capacities of 323 and 241 mAh/g, respectively.