Tuning the electrochemical performance of a biphenylene coated metal as the anode for K+-ion batteries

The researchers employed density functional theory (DFT) computations to assess suitability of BP-biphenylene (b-BP) monolayers for application in potassium-ion battery systems. In their evaluations, the researchers considered various factors, like adsorption energy (E_ad) of the b-BP monolayer with adsorbed potassium adatoms, in addition to diffusion energy barrier (E_bar) and storage capacity and of potassium ions on this surface. The results indicated that the b-BP monolayer has significantly higher potassium-ion storage capacities, reaching 1026 mAh/g, compared to typical graphite anodes and other carbon materials. The E_bar for potassium ions on the b-BP monolayer was determined to be 0.22 eV. Furthermore, anticipated open-circuit voltage (OCV) values for this material were found to lie within acceptable range of 0.25–1.2 V, making it suitable for use as an anode. These research findings underscore the potential of the b-BP monolayer as an appropriate anode material for potassium-ion battery (KIBs) applications.