Topological Defect‐Regulated Porous Carbon Anodes with Fast Interfacial and Bulk Kinetics for High‐Rate and High‐Energy‐Density Potassium‐Ion Batteries

Abstract Carbonaceous materials are regarded as one of the most promising anodes for potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs), but their rate capabilities are largely limited by the slow solid‐state potassium diffusion kinetics inside anode and sluggish interfacial potassium ion transfer process. Herein, high‐rate and high‐capacity PIBs are demonstrated by facile topological defect‐regulation of the microstructure of carbon anodes. The carbon lattice of the as‐obtained porous carbon nanosheets (CNSs) with abundant topological defects (TDPCNSs) holds relatively high potassium adsorption energy yet low potassium migration barrier, thereby enabling efficient storage and diffusion of potassium inside graphitic layers. Moreover, the topological defects can induce preferential decomposition of anions, leading to the formation of high potassium ion conductive solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film with decreased potassium ion de‐solvation and transfer barrier. Additionally, the dominant sp 2 ‐hybridized carbon conjugated skeleton of TDPCNSs enables high electrical conductivity (39.4 S cm −1 ) and relatively low potassium storage potential. As a result, the as‐constructed TDPCNSs anode demonstrates high potassium storage capacity (504 mA h g −1 at 0.1 A g −1 ), remarkable rate capability (118 mA h g −1 at 40 A g −1 ), as well as long‐term cycling stability.