Defect-introduced graphene sheets with hole structure as lithium-ion battery anode

• Defect-introduced graphene sheets as an anode for LIBs are prepared.
• Defect introducing process involves relatively low temperature and air atmosphere.
• Hole structures provide Li insertion pathways.
• The prepared anode exhibits enhanced reversible capacity, rate and cycle performance.

Defect-introduced graphene sheets with hole structure were fabricated utilizing a facile and scalable Cobalt catalyzed gasification strategy. The holes unleash the Li insertion potential by providing pathways for Li into the overlaps and wrinkles of graphene sheets. As a consequence, the advanced anode material exhibits first reversible specific capacity as high as 1009 mAh g−1 and can reach 898 mAh g−1, 667 mAh g−1, 453 mAh g−1 at current densities of 300 mA g−1, 500 mA g−1 and 1000 mA g−1, respectively. As far as we know, the defect-introduced graphene sheets are firstly fabricated as anode in lithium-ion batteries.