Carbon Precision—The Key to Unlocking Efficient Sodium-Ion Storage

The abundance of sodium relative to lithium has sparked research into sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) as a viable alternative. Hard carbon stands out as a promising anode material for SIBs, but its synthesis often raises sustainability concerns. This study presents a tailored synthesis method using affordable carbon precursors to create optimized hard carbon structures for SIB anodes. The novel approach yields a highly ordered carbon architecture with reduced defects, porosity, and oxygen content, alongside enhanced electronic conductivity. The customized carbon anode demonstrates exceptional initial coulombic efficiency, increased reversible capacity, improved cycling stability, and enhanced rate performance, making it an attractive contender for advancing SIB technology.