High-Energy Ball Milling Promoted Sulfur Immobilization for Constructing High-Performance Na-Storage Carbon Anodes

Sulfur (S) doping is an effective method for constructing high-performance carbon anodes for sodium-ion batteries. However, traditional designs of S-doped carbon often exhibit low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE), poor rate capability, and impoverished cycle performance, limiting their practical applications. This study proposes an innovative design strategy to fabricate S-doped carbon using sulfonated sugar molecules as precursors via high-energy ball milling. The results show that the high-energy ball milling can immobilize S for sulfonated sugar molecules by modulating the chemical state of S atoms, thereby creating a S-rich carbon framework with a doping level of 15.5 wt %. In addition, the S atoms are present mainly in the form of C–S bonds, facilitating a stable electrochemical reaction; meanwhile, S atoms expand the spacing between carbon layers and contribute sufficient capacitance-type Na-storage sites. Consequently, the S-doped carbon exhibits a large capacity (>600 mAh g–1), a high ICE (>90%), superior cycling stability (490 mAh g–1 after 1100 cycles at 5 A g–1), and outstanding rate performance (420 mAh g–1 at a high current density of 50 A g–1). Such excellent Na-storage properties of S-doped carbon have rarely been reported in the literatures before.