Rice paper-derived 3D-porous carbon films for lithium-ion batteries

Rice paper (RP) is thermally carbonized in nitrogen to prepare three-dimensionally porous carbon films, which are used for the first time as both a free-standing active anode material and a current collector of a cathode (LiFePO4 here) for lithium-ion batteries. The latter is fabricated through a one-step co-sintering of a Li–Fe–P–O precursor top layer supported on the rice paper. The rate and cycling performances of both these electrodes are found to be rather good or even better than the traditional electrodes due to the three-dimensionally porous structure of the RP-derived carbon. We also design and fabricate an RP-based full cell constructed with the above mentioned anode and cathode together with an RP membrane as the separator. Without using traditional metallic current collectors and separator membranes, such a cell exhibits reversible cycling performance.

► Carbonization of a rice paper (RP) results in a highly porous free-standing hard carbon film composed of carbon fibers. ► Free-standing LiFePO4@C laminate is prepared through a one-step co-sintering process. ► A RP-based full cell with reversible cycling characteristic is fabricated.