Sub-minute Carbonization of Polymer/Carbon Nanotube Films by Microwave Inductive Heating for the Ultra-fast Preparation of Hard Carbon Anodes in Sodium-ion Batteries

The team led by Dr. Daeho Kim and Dr. Jong Hwan Park from the Nano-hybrid Technology Research Center of the Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KERI) has developed a process technology for the ultra-fast preparation of hard carbon anodes in sodium-ion batteries within 30 seconds by using microwave inductive heating. Firstly, they mixed polymers with a small amount of highly conductive carbon nanotubes to fabricate films. Then, they applied a microwave magnetic field to the films to induce currents in the carbon nanotubes, selectively heating the films to above 1400°C within just 30 seconds, thus achieving the rapid carbonization to prepare hard carbon anodes. The key to this technology lies in the team's own "Multi-physics Field Simulation" technology, which enables them to have a profound understanding of the complex processes that occur when the electromagnetic field of the microwave bandwidth is applied to nanomaterials, thereby creating a new preparation process.

Journal information: Chemical Engineering Journal