One-step synthesis of MOF-derived Fe-N4 -doped porous carbon for high-performance lithium-ion battery anodes

Carbon-based materials are promising anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), but their practical application is limited by low capacity and poor initial Coulombic efficiency. Herein, we report a facile one-step pyrolysis strategy using Fe-modified ZIF-8 precursors (Zn / Fe = 40:1) to synthesize Fe-N4 co-doped porous carbons (Fe-N4C-900) as high-performance LIB anodes. Electrochemical evaluations demonstrate that the Fe40-N4C-900 anode delivers a reversible capacity of 1180 mAh g⁻1 after 1000 cycles at 0.1 A g⁻1, with excellent rate performance (235 mAh g⁻1 at 10 A g⁻1). This performance outperforms undoped N-carbon and most reported M-N4C anodes (Co, Ni, Mn), attributed to enhanced Li⁺ storage sites, rapid ion/electron transport, and stable structure. This work provides insights into structure-performance relationships of M-N4C anodes and a scalable route for advanced LIB materials.