Potassium salts of para-aromatic dicarboxylates as the highly efficient organic anodes for low-cost K-ion batteries

Abstract

Two small organic molecules, namely potassium terephthalate (K2TP) and potassium 2,5-pyridinedicarboxylate (K2PC), were newly exploited as the highly efficient organic anodes in K-ion batteries. Both K2TP and K2PC exhibited the clear and reversible discharge and charge platforms in K-ion half cells, which were resulted from the redox behavior of organic para-aromatic dicarboxylates. The satisfactory and reversible specific capacities were realized in the K2TP- and K2PC-based K-ion cells, with average values of 181 and 190 mAh g−1 for 100 cycles, respectively. The currently-obtained achievement of organic anodes could make a forward step for the further development of rocking-chair K-ion batteries.