Graphitic Carbon Quantum Dots Modified Nickel Cobalt Sulfide as Cathode Materials for Alkaline Aqueous Batteries

Highlights The scalable graphitic carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are obtained with a high yield of more than 50%. The CQDs are utilized to synthesize novel NS-CQDs/NiCo 2 S 4 composite which shows enhanced electrochemical properties. The assembled novel alkaline aqueous battery delivers superior electrochemical performances. Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) as a new class of emerging materials have gradually drawn researchers’ concern in recent years. In this work, the graphitic CQDs are prepared through a scalable approach, achieving a high yield with more than 50%. The obtained CQDs are further used as structure-directing and conductive agents to synthesize novel N,S-CQDs/NiCo 2 S 4 composite cathode materials, manifesting the enhanced electrochemical properties resulted from the synergistic effect of highly conductive N,S-codoped CQDs offering fast electronic transport and unique micro-/nanostructured NiCo 2 S 4 microspheres with Faradaic redox characteristic contributing large capacity. Moreover, the nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO)/Fe 2 O 3 composite anode materials exhibit ultrahigh specific capacity as well as significantly improved rate property and cycle performance originating from the high-capacity prism-like Fe 2 O 3 hexahedrons tightly wrapped by highly conductive N-rGO. A novel alkaline aqueous battery assembled by these materials displays a specific energy (50.2 Wh kg −1 ), ultrahigh specific power (9.7 kW kg −1 ) and excellent cycling performance with 91.5% of capacity retention at 3 A g −1 for 5000 cycles. The present research offers a valuable guidance for the exploitation of advanced energy storage devices by the rational design and selection of battery/capacitive composite materials.