Fluorinated carbons ( CFX) are promising cathode materials for lithium primary batteries due to their high energy density, yet suffer from poor electronic conductivity. Manganese dioxide ( MnO2), on the other hand, offers superior rate capability, but limited capacity. Here, we design MnO2/ CFx hybrid cathodes by combining MnO2 with CFX materials synthesized at controlled fluorination levels (x = 0.4–1.0) to synergistically optimize both energy and power performance. Structural and spectroscopic analyses reveal that moderate fluorination (x = 0.6) induces a favorable balance of semi-ionic C–F and interfacial O–F bonds, enhancing electron delocalization and charge transfer at the MnO2/ CFX interface. In contrast, excessive fluorination (x ≥ 0.8) leads to the formation of electrochemically inert C–F2 and C–F3 species, suppressing redox kinetics. As a result, MnO2/ CFX-0.6 delivers a discharge capacity of 390 mAh g–1−1 at 0.05 C and retains 182 mAh g–1−1 at 4 C, outperforming both pristine MnO2 and other CFX variants. This work establishes interfacial fluorine bonding configuration, not just bulk F/C ratio, as a critical design parameter for high-performance hybrid cathodes.

In this study, nitrogen and fluorine co-doped carbon nanocages (NF-CNCs) were synthesized as anode materials for potassium- ion batteries (KIBs), and their structural evolution with heat treatment and electrochemical behavior with different functional groups was investigated. NF-CNCs were prepared by physically mixing coal tar pitch (CTP) with a SiO2 template, followed by heat treatment and subsequent fluorination with NF3 gas. A systematic investigation of the structural properties revealed that graphitization increased with increasing heat treatment temperature as the carbon structure transitioned from amorphous at 500 and 1000 °C to graphite-like at 1500 °C. Furthermore, nitrogen and fluorine functional group analysis revealed significant changes, particularly in terms of covalent and semi-ionic C‒F bonds. Among the samples, NF-CNC 1000 displayed excellent electrochemical performance, with a specific capacity of 395.1 mAh g− 1 and a capacity retention rate of 94% during 1000 cycles at 50 mA g− 1. The exceptional performance of NF-CNC 1000 is attributed to its high porosity, amorphous carbon structure, and semi-ionic C‒F bonds, which facilitate the efficient adsorption and intercalation of potassium ions. These findings provide valuable insights into the design of advanced anode materials for next-generation KIBs.