Biomass-based carbon material for next-generation sodium-ion batteries: insights and SWOT evaluation

In recent years, energy storage has significantly transitioned from lithium to sodium ion due to sodium's abundance and economical and optimal redox potential. Biomass-based carbon anode materials are extensively studied in sodium-ion batteries because of their economic advantages and eco-sustainable approach. Their distinctive microstructural characteristics resulting in higher specific capacitance. The present review explores hard carbon and a few emerging sustainable materials derived from various biomass sources. It also covers their production, focusing on micro-structures, morphological defects, and heteroatom doping-related aspects. However, the sodium storage mechanism within carbon anodes, particularly hard carbon, is a subject of debate due to its diverse microstructural states in contrast to the specific layered structure of graphite. It also integrates strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities with threat evaluation by highlighting detailed insights about recent developments in hard carbon. This review also highlights bibliographic analysis through network visualization map of international research collaboration in the field of biomass based anode material for sodium ion battery. It also offers a cohesive framework for advancing biomass-derived hard carbon and other carbon materials as an independent or complementary anode material for next-generation sodium-ion batteries.