Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• • The SHHC anode delivers a high reversible capacity of ~807 mAh g−1 at 0.03 A g−1, approximately three times that of conventional amorphous carbon, addressing the capacity bottleneck in SIB anodes. • • The composite achieves almost 100% capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 1.0 A g−1, demonstrating ultra-stable long-term cycling performance critical for grid-scale energy storage. • • The hierarchical porous structure with built-in cavities effectively accommodates electrode volume expansion, ensuring fast electrode kinetics and outstanding cyclability, which is essential for practical high-rate applications. • • The chemical confinement of ~25 wt% short-chain sulfur into the carbon matrix enables a surface-dominated storage mechanism, contributing to high capacity and superior rate capability, as evidenced by the high sulfur content and redox reactivity.
Abstract
The pursuit of high-energy-density sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) necessitates the development of stable high-capacity anodes. While amorphous carbon is a promising anode candidate for SIBs, its practical application is hindered by limited capacity. Herein, we design a composite anode by chemically confining a high-content (~25 wt%) short-chain sulfur into hierarchical porous hard carbon microspheres (SHHC) derived from microbe yeast. The SHHC anode exhibits a high reversible capacity of ~807 mAh g−1 at 0.03 A g−1 (~3 times that of conventional amorphous carbon) along with superior rate capability, and extraordinary long-term cyclability (almost 100% capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 1.0 A g−1). The high-content sulfur species contribute to superb redox reactivity for high-capacity sodium storage via a surface-dominated storage mechanism. The carbon matrix features an enlarged interlayer distance, which facilitates Na-ion intercalation and deintercalation for high-rate capability. Furthermore, the hierarchical porous structure with built-in cavities facilitates the Na-ion transfer and effectively accommodates the electrode’s volume expansion, achieving fast electrode kinetics and outstanding cyclability. Such a combination of favored properties leads to state-of-the-art comprehensive battery performance for Na-ion storage. Our finding envisions a new perspective on building stable high-capacity anode materials for SIBs.
1. Introduction
The commercialization of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has been hampered by the limited and uneven distribution of global lithium reserves, raising sustainability concerns. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) emerge as a promising alternative due to the high natural abundance of sodium, yet their practical development is constrained by the lack of suitable high-performance anodes. Graphite, the commercial anode in LIBs, is thermodynamically unfavorable for sodium intercalation, yielding a mere 35 mAh g−1. Amorphous carbon, particularly hard carbon, offers larger interlayer spacing and disordered microstructure, enabling feasible sodium storage, but its specific capacity remains modest. Strategies such as porous engineering and heteroatom doping provide limited capacity improvements, while carbon-alloy composites suffer from poor cyclability due to volume expansion.
This work addresses these bottlenecks by chemically confining high-content short-chain sulfur into hierarchical porous hard carbon microspheres derived from microbe yeast. The sulfur species contribute to high redox reactivity, while the carbon matrix's enlarged interlayer distance facilitates Na-ion intercalation/deintercalation for high-rate capability. The hierarchical porous structure with built-in cavities accommodates volume expansion, ensuring fast kinetics and outstanding cyclability. This design achieves a high reversible capacity of ~807 mAh g−1 at 0.03 A g−1 and almost 100% capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 1.0 A g−1, offering a state-of-the-art comprehensive performance for SIB anodes.
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Bai-Hua Huang, Shi-Rui Zhao, Qing-Qing Yuan, Hui Guo, Zi-Tong Yang, Yuen Yi Cao, Jian-Hua Long, Zi-Hao Luo, Lin Liu, De-Shan Bin (2026). Chemical confinement of short-chain sulfur into hierarchical porous hard carbon for ultra-stable high-capacity sodium-ion storage. SCIENCE CHINA Materials. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-026-4234-3
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the specific capacity and cycling stability of the SHHC anode at high current densities?
The SHHC anode delivers a high reversible capacity of ~807 mAh g−1 at 0.03 A g−1 and maintains almost 100% capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 1.0 A g−1, demonstrating excellent rate capability and ultra-stable long-term cycling.
How does the chemical confinement of sulfur contribute to the sodium storage mechanism?
The chemical confinement of ~25 wt% short-chain sulfur into the carbon matrix enables a surface-dominated storage mechanism, where sulfur species provide high redox reactivity, contributing to the high capacity and superior rate capability.
What role does the hierarchical porous structure play in the electrode performance?
The hierarchical porous structure with built-in cavities facilitates Na-ion transfer and effectively accommodates the electrode's volume expansion during cycling, leading to fast electrode kinetics and outstanding cyclability.
How does the SHHC anode compare to conventional amorphous carbon anodes in terms of capacity?
The SHHC anode exhibits a reversible capacity of ~807 mAh g−1 at 0.03 A g−1, which is approximately three times that of conventional amorphous carbon, addressing the limited capacity issue of amorphous carbon anodes.
What is the source of the hard carbon microspheres and how does it affect the material properties?
The hard carbon microspheres are derived from microbe yeast, which provides a hierarchical porous structure and enlarged interlayer distance, facilitating Na-ion intercalation/deintercalation and contributing to high-rate capability and structural stability.
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