Synthesis and Performance of Carbon-Based Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Carbon-based anodes remain at the forefront of lithium-ion battery research owing to their tunable microstructure, abundant raw materials and established safety profile. Synthetic strategies span biomass-derived precursors, chemical activation and novel gas-phase routes, yielding materials with hierarchical porosity, controlled graphitisation and tailored heteroatom content. Optimised porous networks and high specific surface areas facilitate fast lithium-ion diffusion and robust solid electrolyte interphase formation, delivering high reversible capacities and long cycle lives. Advances in low-temperature graphitisation from greenhouse gases, hydrothermal carbonisation of agricultural residues and binder-free film architectures showcase the versatility of carbon chemistry. Critical performance metrics include rate capability, capacity retention over hundreds to thousands of cycles and coulombic efficiency approaching unity. Collectively, these developments point to scalable, sustainable anode materials capable of meeting the stringent requirements of portable electronics, electric vehicles and grid-scale storage, while addressing environmental and economic imperatives.

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Synthesis and Performance of Carbon-Based Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in synthesis and performance of carbon-based anode materials for lithium-ion batteries across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Reversible capacity: The amount of lithium charge stored per unit mass of anode (mAh g−1) that can be cycled repeatedly.

Specific surface area: The total surface area of a material per unit mass, often measured by BET analysis, influencing ion access and reaction kinetics.

Rate capability: The ability of an electrode to deliver capacity at high charge/discharge currents without significant loss.

Capacity retention: The percentage of initial capacity that remains after a given number of cycles, indicating cycle stability.

Coulombic efficiency: The ratio of charge output to charge input per cycle, reflecting reversibility and minimised side reactions.

Heteroatom doping: The intentional incorporation of elements such as nitrogen or sulfur into carbon structures to modify electronic properties and enhance lithium-ion interaction.

References

1. Establishment of green graphite industry: Graphite from biomass and its various applications. SusMat (2023).
2. Facile Synthesis of Sustainable Activated Biochars with Different Pore Structures as Efficient Additive-Carbon-Free Anodes for Lithium- and Sodium-Ion Batteries. ACS Omega (2022).
3. Green synthesis of graphite from CO2 without graphitization process of amorphous carbon. Nature Communications (2021).
4. Hydrothermal Synthesis of Cellulose-Derived Carbon Nanospheres from Corn Straw as Anode Materials for Lithium ion Batteries. Nanomaterials (2019).