Owing to its high electrical conductivity and cycling stability, graphite is the predominant commercial anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Guizhou anthracite has a high fixed-carbon content, low sulfur and ash contents, and abundant reserves. After high-temperature graphitization, it can be converted into coal-based graphite (CG), providing an important carbon source for the development of low-cost graphite anodes. However, CG still suffers from an underdeveloped pore structure, sluggish Li⁺ diffusion kinetics, and insufficient reversible capacity. In this study, liquid-phase oxidation has been used to regulate the surface-active functional groups and mesoporous structure of CG. Oxidized graphite materials are prepared using different oxidants and different KMnO₄/CG mass ratios. Liquid-phase oxidation introduces oxygen-containing functional groups, including C-O-C, C=O, -COOH, and -OH, and induced the formation of cracks and mesoporous channels, thereby improving electrolyte wettability, increasing Li⁺ storage sites, and shortening diffusion paths. KMnO₄ shows the most effective regulation of the mesoporous structure. At a KMnO₄/CG mass ratio of 0.4, CG-0.4 exhibits the best overall performance, with a specific surface area of 55.8 m² g⁻¹, a mesopore volume of 0.0805 cm³ g⁻¹, and a mesopore-volume fraction of 97.2%. It delivers a reversible capacity of 385.5 mAh g⁻¹ at 100 mA g⁻¹, retains 98.5% of its capacity after 100 cycles, and maintained 287.8 mAh g⁻¹ at 1000 mA g⁻¹. This study provides guidance for the structural design of high-performance anthracite-derived graphite anodes.
 

lithium-ion batteries; anthracite; coal-based graphite; liquid-phase oxidation; lithium-storage performance