Application of graphite-derived materials in metal-ion batteries

Graphite-derived materials are commonly used in the preparation of alkaline metal battery electrode materials due to their excellent electrochemical properties, low cost, and good mechanical properties. Although natural graphite has made significant progress towards commercialization, the small layer spacing of natural graphite still hinders its application in other alkali metal batteries. Therefore, extensive research has been conducted to enhance the metal-ion storage capacity of graphite and its derivatives. This paper provides a review of the structural engineering of graphite, including mesophase carbon microspheres, expanded graphite, porous graphite, and petroleum coke. It also covers the application of these types of graphite in the preparation of electrodes for lithium-ion batteries, other alkali metal batteries, dual-ion batteries, and lithium-sulfur batteries. The paper compares various strategies and suggests future work in this field.