Energy Storage Science and Technology ›› 2025, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (2): 544-554.doi: 10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2024.0926

• Energy Storage Materials and Devices • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Capacity enhancement strategy of hard carbon anode for sodium-ion battery: A review

Yonggang CHANG1(), Jinhao ZHANG1, Wei XIE1, Xiuchun LI1,2, Yilin WANG3,4, Chengmeng CHEN3()   

  1. 1.China Coal Huali Energy Holdings Co. , Ltd. , Beijing 100020, China
    2.China Coal Huali Xinjiang Carbon Technology Co. , Ltd. , Hami 839200, Xinjiang, China
    3.Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001, Shanxi, China
    4.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2024-09-29 Revised:2024-10-26 Online:2025-02-28 Published:2025-03-18
  • Contact: Chengmeng CHEN E-mail:changyongg@chinacoal.com;ccm@sxicc.ac.cn

Abstract:

Lithium-ion batteries, as a foundational technology in electrochemical energy storage, are playing an increasingly vital role in driving economic and social progress. However, the uneven global distribution of lithium resources presents significant challenges, particularly regarding the security of lithium supplies in China. Sodium-ion batteries have emerged as a promising complementary technology, offering a strategic alternative that capitalizes on abundant sodium reserves and mitigates dependence on foreign resources. The performance of these batteries largely depends on the anode material, with hard carbon being the most industrially advanced option owing to its commendable overall performance. However, its low capacity remains a key limitation to further progress. This review examines four distinct models of sodium storage in hard carbon: "insertion-filling," "adsorption-insertion," "adsorption-filling," and the "three-stage" model. Subsequently, it explores various characterization techniques—such as Raman spectroscopy, pair distribution function analysis, positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy, extended X-ray absorption fine structure, electron paramagnetic resonance, gas adsorption/desorption, and small-angle X-ray scattering to elucidate the defects and pore structures of hard carbon. Moreover, the review emphasizes various strategies to enhance slope and plateau capacities of hard carbon. These include heteroatom doping, modulating carbonization temperature, modifying pore structures, and refining microcrystalline structures. A comprehensive analysis indicates that increasing the defect concentration in hard carbon significantly enhances its slope capacity, while increasing the volume of closed pores effectively improves its plateau capacity. Finally, the review delineates potential development trajectories and future prospects for hard carbon, aiming to provide valuable insights for advancing sodium-ion battery technology.

Key words: sodium-ion batteries, hard carbon, enhancement of slope/plateau capacity, formation mechanism of closed pores

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