Progress of research on carbon-based anode materials for sodium-ion batteries

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are considered one of the most promising candidate technologies for future large-scale energy storage systems due to their highly abundant sodium and advantages similar to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the successful commercialization of SIBs relies heavily on the development of high-performance anode materials. Carbon-based materials are considered the ideal choice for SIBs negative electrode because of their abundant resources, cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and excellent electrochemical properties. In this paper, the research progress of carbon anode materials in SIBs is reviewed. The application status of different carbon anode materials and the storage mechanism of four types of sodium ions in the hard carbon structure are systematically introduced and discussed. From the aspects of heteroatom doping, pore structure design, and layer spacing adjustment, this paper introduces the latest research progress in improving the sodium storage performance of carbon-based anode materials and summarizes the strategies for enhancing this performance. Finally, the future development directions and challenges of high-performance carbon-based anode materials are discussed and prospected, providing a feasible reference scheme for the rapid development of SIBs.