Storage Mechanism Research Articles

Bismuth-based material with alveolar-like structure as advanced anode for superior potassium storage

Bismuth (Bi)-based anodes have a promising application in potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) due to their high theoretical capacity. However, Bi-based materials undergo unavoidable and drastic volume expansion during charging/discharging. In addition to this, the problem of poor reaction kinetics severely hinders its development. To solve these problems, we designed Bi2O3-Bi/Carbon hollow nanospheres (Bi2O3-Bi@CHNSs) inspired by the structure of alveoli and its contraction/expansion respiration mechanism. Bi2O3-Bi@CHNSs have an alveolus-like hollow core–shell structure and alveolus respiration-like reversible contraction/expansion mechanism for potassium storage, which provides good structural stability. In situ characterizations confirm that the Bi2O3 and Bi hybrid structures synergistically store potassium through a conversion/alloying mechanism. Bi2O3-Bi@CHNSs exhibited excellent rate performance as anode with a capacity of up to 270.4 mAh g−1 at a current density of 40 A g−1. Assembled as a full cell, the capacity reached 106.5 mAh g−1 at a current density of 30 A g−1, which is superior to most of the reported intact PIBs. This work utilized biomimetic design concepts to elaborate a bionic alveolar structure. It provides a new perspective for optimizing the volume expansion of Bi-based anodes and developing high-performance PIBs.

Interlayer engineering of V2O5·nH2O by conductive Ni-BTA enabling high-performance aqueous ammonium ion batteries

Aqueous ammonium ion batteries (AAIBs) are of interest due to the low molar mass, small hydration radius, abundant raw materials and high safety of the carrier ammonium-ion. Nevertheless, there are numerous constraints associated with electrode materials that are suitable for ammonium-ion storage. In this study, we design and synthesize a composite comprising of one-dimensional conductive metal-organic skeleton material (1D c-MOF) embedded between layers of hydrated vanadium pentoxide (VOH) with improved ammonium-ion storage. The central ion of the 1D c-MOF is selected to be the nickel ion, while the ligand is 1,2,4,5-benzenetetramine (BTA). The incorporation of Ni-BTA between the vanadium oxide layers results in the formation of a composite (Ni-BTA/VOH) exhibiting enhanced structural stability, augmented layer spacing and elevated conductivity. Furthermore, the dual energy storage mechanisms of VOH and CN rearrangement act in concert to yield a “1+1 > 2” effect, thereby markedly enhancing the ammonium-ion storage. The specific capacity of Ni-BTA/VOH can reach 183 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1, and the retention rate can reach 52.5 % after 500 cycles at 2 A g−1. This work not only proves the potential of Ni-BTA/VOH for widespread application in the field of aqueous batteries, but also provides a new method for structural engineering of VOH with boosted ammonium-ion storage properties.

Zn-doped hollow cubic MnO2 as a high-performance cathode material for Zn ion batteries.

Manganese-based compounds have the characteristics of high theoretical capacity, low cost and stable performance, thus become a research hotspot for cathode materials of zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs). However, in the process of charging and discharging, it is accompanied by problems such as structural collapse and low conductivity, which resulted in severe capacity degration during cycles. In this paper, a kind of Zn2+ doped MnO2 hollow cube cathode material (Zn-MnO2) was prepared by self-sacrificing template method. The Zn2+ doped in MnO2 crystals can induce oxygen vacancies in the structure, thereby improving the structural stability ion diffusion coefficient and electrical conductivity of the material. After 100 cycles at 0.3 A g-1, the high specific capacity of 281.2 mA h g-1 is still maintained. Through ex-situ XPS and ex-situ XRD tests, the mechanism of charge-discharge process was discussed. The results show that the storage mechanism of Zn-MnO2 is H+ and Zn2+ insertion/removal and Mn3+/Mn2+ two-electron reaction pathway. The total state density (TDOS) and partial state density (PDOS) of Zn-MnO2 and MnO2 further demonstrated that the doping of Zn2+ enhanced the electron conductivity and is beneficial to the electron transfer during the electrochemical reaction.

Sodium Vanadates for Metal-Ion Batteries: Recent Advances and Perspectives.

Rechargeable metal-ion batteries (MIBs) play a pivotal role in advancing the stable supply of renewable energy by efficiently storing and discharging electrical energy. In recent years, to propel the continuous advancement of MIB technology, numerous studies have concentrated on exploring and innovating electrode materials, aiming to engineer commercial batteries with high energy density, superior power density, and extended cycle life. Notably, sodium vanadates have garnered significant attention in the realm of MIBs owing to their distinctive crystal structures, abundant resource reservoirs, and exceptional electrochemical properties. This paper provides a prompt and comprehensive review of the research landscape for various sodium vanadates (such as NaxV2O5, Na1+ xV3O8, Na2V6O16·xH2O, etc.) in the domain of MIBs over the past five years. It delves into the structural characteristics, electrochemical performances, and energy storage mechanisms of these materials, while also proposing some effective strategies to augment their electrochemical capabilities. Building upon these insights and prevailing research outcomes, this review envisions the future developmental pathways of sodium vanadates for MIBs and aims to reveal the vast potential of sodium vanadates in the emerging energy storage field and provide researchers with clear insights and perspectives for developing optimal sodium vanadate electrodes.

Synergistic Bimetallic Effects of BiSb Anodes Enable Long‐Stable Sodium Storage

AbstractAlloy‐type anodes are of interest for their resource‐rich and high theoretical capacity performance in sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). However, severe volume expansion may lead to rapid capacity decay and electrode pulverization. In this work, metallic Bi with better structure stability is rationally selected as a skeleton to form a 2D BiSb alloy to alleviate the volume expansion. Interestingly, by combining in‐situ XRD and ex‐situ TEM characterizations, a reversible multi‐step alloying sodium storage mechanism of BiSb ↔ Na(Bi, Sb) ↔ Na3(Bi, Sb) in Bi0.4Sb0.6 anode is elucidated, and the partial amorphization and expanded interlayer spacing of BiSb alloy is also revealed, which greatly alleviate volume expansion thereby enhancing electrochemical stability. Furthermore, density functional theory and kinetic calculations demonstrate that Bi0.4Sb0.6 demonstrates lower Na+ adsorption energy and Na+ diffusion energy barriers, ensuring fast electron and ion transportation during sodium storage. Benefiting from the synergistic effects of binary alloy, Bi0.4Sb0.6 exhibits a high reversible capacity and cycling stability of 446 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, and 70% high capacity after 1100 cycles at 0.5 A g−1. This work provides new insights and opportunities to develop advanced precise alloy‐type anode materials for SIBs.

Functional metal-organic frameworks derived electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage: a review.

Pristine metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are built through self-assembly of electron rich organic linkers and electron deficient metal nodes via coordinate bond. Due to the unique properties of MOFs like highly tunable frameworks, huge specific surface areas, flexible chemical composition, flexible structures and a large volume of pores, they are being used to design the electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage devices. As per the literature, MOFs (including manganese, nickel, copper, and cobalt-based zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), University of Oslo (UiO) MOFs, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) MOFs and isoreticular MOFs (IRMOFs)) have attracted much attention in the field of supercapacitors (SCs)/batteries. According to their dimensionality such as 1D, 2D and 3D, pristine MOFs are mainly used as SC materials. Highly porous materials and their composites are capable for intercalation of metal ions (Na+/Li+). Moreover, the supramolecular features (π⋯π, C-H⋯π, hydrogen bond interactions) of redox stable MOFs provide better insight for electrochemical stability. So, this review provides an in-depth analysis of pure MOFs and MOF derived composites (MOF composites and MOF derived porous carbon) as electrode materials and also discusses their metal ion charge storage mechanism. Finally, we provide our perspectives on the current issues and future opportunities for supercapacitor materials.

Realizing Dual-Mode Zinc-Ion Storage of Generic Vanadium-Based Cathodes via Organic Molecule Intercalation.

Intercalation engineering is a promising strategy to promote zinc-ion storage of layered cathodes; however, is impeded by the complex fabrication routes and inert electrochemical behaviors of intercalators. Herein, an organic imidazole intercalation strategy is proposed, where V2O5 and NH4V3O8 (NVO) model materials are adopted to verify the feasibility of the imidazole intercalator in improving the zinc storage capabilities of vanadium-based cathodes. The intercalated imidazole molecules could not only expand interlayer spacing and strengthen structural stability by serving as extra "pillars" but also provide extra coordination sites for zinc storage via the coordination reaction between Zn2+ and the C═N group. This gives rise to a dual-mode ion storage mechanism and favorable electrochemical performances. As a result, imidazole-intercalated V2O5 delivers a capacity of 179.9 mAh g-1 after 5000 cycles at 20 A g-1, while the imidazole-intercalated NVO harvests a high capacity output of 170.2 mAh g-1 after 700 cycles at 2 A g-1. This work is anticipated to boost the application potentials of vanadium-based cathodes in aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

An Organic Small Molecule Electrode with Intermolecular Intercalation and Synergistic Effects for High‐Rate Alkali Metal‐Ion Batteries

AbstractDesignable molecular structures, unique ion‐coordination charge storage mechanisms, and resource sustainability enable organic electrode materials to become potential candidates for alkali metal‐ion batteries (AMIBs). Herein, integrating the excellent π–π stacking ability of Hexaazatriphenylene units and strong electron‐withdrawing properties of cyano (C≡N) groups into one moleuce, a π‐conjugated organic compound 1,4,5,8,9,11‐Hexaazatriphenylenehexacarbonitrile (HAT‐CN) is synthesized and systematically investigated as electrodes in Li/Na/K‐ion batteries. Explored by mechanism characterizations and density functional theory calculations, HAT‐CN can provide nine redox‐active sites for Na/K‐ions to intercalate/de‐intercalate, among which six Na/K‐ions are distributed evenly to both sides of conjugated skeletons through intermolecular intercalation and three Na/K‐ions are stored with the synergistic effect of C≡N groups. Employing HAT‐CN as electrodes, AMIBs are found to exhibit high reversible capacities, excellent rate capabilities, and stable cycle performances. After 100 cycles at the current density of 100 mA g−1, Na‐ion batteries present 415.6 mAh g−1 with a capacity fading rate of 1.2% per cycle. Meanwhile, K‐ion batteries maintain 345 mAh g−1 with a coulombic efficiency ≈100%. Li‐ion batteries display superlithiation performances with ultra‐high reversible capacity. This work emphasizes the necessity of comprehensively studying the electrochemical performance of organic electrodes in different secondary battery systems and is conducive to maximizing electrode functionality.

Combination Displacement/Intercalation Reaction of Ag0.11V2O5 Cathode Realizes Efficient Manganese Ion Storage Properties.

Aqueous manganese-ion batteries (AMIBs) are becoming more noticeable because of their excellent theoretical capacity, outstanding safety profile, and cost-effectiveness. However, there aren't many studies on cathode materials appropriate for AMIBs, and the manganese-ion storage mechanisms within these materials have not been thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, the electrochemical performance of existing cathode materials remains suboptimal. Here, Ag0.11V2O5 is designed and synthesized as the cathode material and introduces the combination displacement/intercalation reaction mechanism to the manganese ion storage for the first time. Ag0.11V2O5 demonstrates a capacity retention of 90.3% after 1200 cycles at 5 A g⁻¹ and achieves a high rate performance of 100.01 mAh g⁻¹ at 20 A g⁻¹. This impressive electrochemical performance is attributed to the reaction, which provides more Mn2+ storage sites and generates highly conductive Ag within the electrode. This study presents a novel approach to achieving high-capacity AMIBs.

Enhancing Energy Density in Aqueous Ammonium-Ion Supercapacitors via CuCo2S4@MoS2 Core@Shell Heterostructure Design.

Aqueous ammonium-ion supercapacitors (AASCs) are recognized for their rapid charge-discharge capability, long cycle life, and excellent power density. However, they still confront the challenges of low energy density. To address the above issue, this work proposes a novel strategy involving the establishment of CuCo2S4@MoS2 core@shell heterostructures to enhance the capacity of electrode material. The double electric layer energy storage mechanism of the MoS2 shell facilitates the storage and provision of a substantial ammonium source for NH4 + insertion into CuCo2S4, thereby enhancing the electrochemical performance of AASCs. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that the CuCo2S4@MoS2 core@shell heterostructures exhibit better affinity for NH4 + and improved conductivity. Furthermore, the internal electric field at the heterojunction accelerates NH4 + transfer, thereby enhancing the pseudocapacitive behavior of CuCo2S4. Owing to the abundant active sites and pronounced pseudo-capacitance, the CuCo2S4@MoS2 electrode achieves a specific capacity of 2045 C g-1 at 1 A g-1. With activated carbon (AC) as the negative electrode, the fabricated CuCo2S4@MoS2//AC AASC device attains a specific capacity of 591 C g-1 and an energy density of 83.23Wh kg-1. This work presents a promising new strategy for the next generation of AASCs.

Azopyridine Aqueous Electrochemistry Enables Superior Organic AZIBs.

Azo compounds (AZO), such as azobenzene, are classic organic electrode materials featuring a redox potential close to Zn/Zn2+. Recent studies show that azobenzene could work as a cathode in aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs), providing a voltage output of around 0.7 V. However, the energy storage mechanism of AZO cathodes in AZIBs remains unclear, and their practical usage in AZIBs is hindered by the low voltage. In this study, azopyridine isomers, the hydrophilic analogues of azobenzene, were adopted as cathodes for AZIBs, and the energy storage mechanism was unveiled through aqueous electrochemical studies. Through in situ electrochemical characterizations and theoretical computations, we reveal that both the electron-withdrawing effect of the pyridyl group and the H+-involved -N = N-/-NH-NH- redox reaction uplift the redox potential of the azopyridine cathodes. These findings led to the first AZO-based AZIB, providing a voltage output of 1.4 V. The proposed air-stable AZIBs deliver a high energy/power density and a capacity of around 200 mAh g-1. This work discovers different azopyridine electrochemistry in aqueous and organic electrolytes and enabling AZIBs to outperform its competitors from the AZO family.

Oxygen-containing groups assist in enhancing Li+/K+ storage: Balancing adsorption and intercalation mechanisms

Porous carbon nanosheets were prepared using a high-temperature solid-phase method and subsequently modified through oxidative acid treatment to introduce oxygen-containing groups. The application and performance of these nanosheets as anodes in lithium-ion and potassium-ion batteries were investigated. The results indicated that the oxidative acid treatment successfully enhanced the porous carbon nanosheets' capacity for storing Li+/K+. Electrochemical analysis revealed that the oxygen-containing groups balanced intercalation and surface storage behaviors, optimizing the nanosheets' storage performance. These modified porous carbon nanosheets (termed SN@PCNs) demonstrated significantly boosted reversible Li+ and K+ storage capacities, achieving 1038.1 mAh⋅g−1 and 371.7 mAh⋅g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, respectively, while maintaining capacities of 443.3 mAh⋅g−1 for Li+ and 153.9 mAh⋅g−1 for K+ at 5.0 A g−1. Furthermore, the study emphasized the significance of a balanced surface capacitance and solid-phase diffusion storage mechanism in attaining high storage capacity and cycle stability. Moderate oxidation and the introduction of oxygen-containing groups were identified as crucial factors in optimizing performance. Additionally, potassium adsorption storage exhibited an advantage over lithium adsorption storage, and the impact of oxygen-containing groups on potassium storage performance was even more pronounced.

High‐Performance Na‐Storage and Sodiation Behavior Identification in Cellulose‐Derived Hard Carbon by High‐Resolution Element Mapping Microscopy

Nowadays, hard carbon is one of the most promising anode materials for sodium‐ion batteries. However, the Na‐storage performance of hard carbon varies for different precursors and synthetic processes due to disparities in the dopant content, dimensions, and categories of defects, graphitic domains, which lead to controversial explanations for the energy storage mechanism. Herein, self‐freestanding membrane of cellulose‐derived carbon fibers is presented, delivering a reversible Na‐storage capacity of 330 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1 due to abundant ordered graphitic zones with enlarged interlayer spacings around 0.39 ± 0.03 nm. Benefiting from a robust solid electrolyte interphase layer rich in NaF nanocrystals, the membrane also holds a superior rate capability of 100 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1 and long‐term cycling stability with capacity retention of 82.6% at 1.5 A g−1 for 4000 cycles. A clear sodiation behavior of Na+ intercalation into enlarged carbon graphitic layers at the slope step above 0.10 V and Na cluster evolution in the micropores at the plateau step around 0.01–0.10 V is disclosed by high‐resolution element mapping microscopy, different from the accepted mechanism of Na+ intercalation into graphitic layers at the plateau step.

The possibilities of big data in pharmacoepidemiology, problems of use, legal regulation

The growth of digitalization in medicine has significantly expanded the possibilities of using big data in pharmacoepidemiology. The use of big data makes it possible to reduce the cost of clinical research, increase the speed of recruitment and expand the sample, makes it possible to evaluate the effect of drugs in pregnant women and effectiveness in rare diseases. The databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar for 12 years from 2012 to 2023, United Nations documents, World Health Organization, Federal laws of the Russian Federation in the field of artificial intelligence, protection of confidential information, and clinical research were analyzed. The search was carried out by keywords: «big data», «registers», «pharmacoepidemiology», «personal data», «legal regulation», «protection methods». The article provides examples of the use of big data in healthcare, including from 25 to 50 million people. The analysis of the literature data revealed the same type of problems – the lack of uniformity in the introduction of information, incomplete information, limited availability. The review identifies the problems of protecting the confidentiality of information. The mechanisms of information standardization, storage, and data processing are considered. The international and Russian legislative framework regulating the conduct of clinical trials using big data is presented.

Molecular-Level Pore Tuning in 2D Conductive Metal-Organic Frameworks for Advanced Supercapacitor Performance.

Two-dimensional (2D) electrically conductive metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as viable candidates for active electrode materials in supercapacitors due to their high electrical conductivity, high specific surface area, and intrinsic redox-active sites. Despite their promising electrochemical performance, their pseudocapacitive behavior via fast and reversible charge transfer reactions remains yet to be fully exploited. Here, we investigate the electrochemical energy storage mechanism of Cu3(HHTATP)2 (HHTATP = 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxy-1,5,9-triaminotriphenylene), a 2D conductive MOF featuring characteristic redox-active pendant aromatic amines. Cu3(HHTATP)2 exhibited pseudocapacitive charge storage with an average gravimetric capacitance of 340 ± 15 F g-1 at a discharge rate of 0.2 A g-1 and maintained a capacitance retention over 90% after 7000 galvanostatic cycles at 5 A g-1. The polar pendant amines not only enhanced capacitance via additional amine/imine redox activity but also reduced interfacial charge transfer resistance through modified electrode-electrolyte interactions. These results highlight the potential of molecular-level pore environment tuning as a strategic approach in materials design for energy storage applications.

Promoting Layered Oxide Cathodes Based on Structural Reconstruction for Sodium‐Ion Batteries: Reversible Phase Transition, Stable Interface Regulation, and Multifunctional Intergrowth Structure

AbstractLayered transition‐metal oxides (NaxTMO2) are one of the most promising cathode materials for sodium‐ion batteries due to their high theoretical specific capacities, good conductivity, and environmental friendliness. However, several key scientific issues of NaxTMO2 cathode materials still persist in practical applications: i) complex phase transitions during the charge/discharge process owing to the slip of the transition‐metal layer; ii) the tendency for the interface to react with the electrolyte, resulting in structure degradation, and iii) reactions between active materials and H2O as well as CO2 on exposure to air in the environment to form alkaline substances on the surface. To understand electrochemical storage mechanisms and solve these problems, several modification strategies of NaxTMO2 have been reported recently, including bulk doping, concentration gradient structure design, interface regulation, and intergrowth structure construction. This review focuses on reversible phase transitions, stable interface regulation, and multifunctional intergrowth structure of the NaxTMO2 material from the inside to the outside. The future research directions for NaxTMO2 are also analyzed, providing guidance for the development of commercial layered oxides for next‐generation energy storage systems.

In Situ Synthesis of MoO 3 by Surface Oxidation of Mo 2 C (MXene) for Stable Near‐Surface Reactions in Aqueous Aluminum‐Ion Battery

Molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) is a promising positive electrode material for aqueous aluminum‐ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity. However, MoO3 faces several challenges in an aqueous electrolyte, such as easy dissolution of reaction products, volume expansion, and low conductivity, which severely limit its application in aqueous batteries. In this work, we effectively increased the overall conductivity of the electrode by in‐situ growing MoO3 on the Mo2C MXene layer. MXene can effectively inhibit the dissolution and structural loss of MoO3 reaction products. Additionally, the coordination effect of Mo2C and MoO3 achieves a stable near‐surface reaction on the MXene laminates, resulting in the Mo2C/MoO3 composite exhibiting excellent aluminum storage properties (123.5 mAh/g after 200 cycles at 0.4 A/g). The energy storage mechanism of H+/Al3+ co‐insertion/extraction was elucidated through non‐in‐situ characterization, and the promotion effect of Mo2C on MoO3 reaction kinetics was verified by density functional theory calculations. This work provides new insights into improving the stability of AAIB cathodes and extends the application of Mo‐based MXene in aqueous batteries.

In Situ Synthesis of MoO 3 by Surface Oxidation of Mo 2 C (MXene) for Stable Near-Surface Reactions in Aqueous Aluminum-Ion Battery.

Molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) is a promising positive electrode material for aqueous aluminum-ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity. However, MoO3faces several challenges in an aqueous electrolyte, such as easy dissolution of reaction products, volume expansion, and low conductivity, which severely limit its application in aqueous batteries. In this work, we effectively increased the overall conductivity of the electrode by in-situ growing MoO3on the Mo2C MXene layer. MXene can effectively inhibit the dissolution and structural loss of MoO3reaction products. Additionally, the coordination effect of Mo2C and MoO3achieves a stable near-surface reaction on the MXene laminates, resulting in the Mo2C/MoO3composite exhibiting excellent aluminum storage properties (123.5 mAh/g after 200 cycles at 0.4 A/g). The energy storage mechanism of H+/Al3+co-insertion/extraction was elucidated through non-in-situ characterization, and the promotion effect of Mo2C on MoO3reaction kinetics was verified by density functional theory calculations. This work provides new insights into improving the stability of AAIB cathodes and extends the application of Mo-based MXene in aqueous batteries.

Modeling of adsorption-controlled binary gas transport in ultratight porous media

Organic-rich ultratight porous media such as shales have complicated pore types and sizes, dictating their unique fluid transport and storage mechanisms. This paper introduces a diffusion-based binary gas (CH4 and CO2) transport model in such porous media, incorporating key transport and storage mechanisms. Binary gas mixture within the pore volume is divided into two domains: the free-phase and the sorbed-phase, both of which contribute to gas mass transport. Thermodynamic properties of the free phase are determined using the Peng-Robinson equation of state, while a modified extended Langmuir isotherm describes the sorbed phase. The bulk diffusion, Knudsen diffusion, and viscous diffusion are reconciled to describe binary gas transport in the free phase, while the surface diffusion is considered in the sorbed phase. The mass flux is finally related to the effective diffusion coefficient and the free-phase concentration gradient through coupling all transport mechanisms via the equivalent resister network model. The governing equations are solved numerically using a finite difference approach to simulate co-diffusion and counter-diffusion of a binary gas mixture in two nanoporous media, shale and coal.The results reveal that surface diffusion is more pronounced in coal than in shale due to coal's higher adsorption capacity. In co-diffusion cases, both free-phase and sorbed-phase concentrations decrease over time. However, the decline of sorbed-phase concentrations is slower than that of the free-phase. Moreover, CO2 tends to remain adsorbed within the coal matrix due to its stronger adsorption affinity, unlike CH4, which is more likely to flow out. In counter-diffusion cases, injected CO2 first accumulates near the fracture region and then diffuses further into the matrix. Despite shale's pore volume being twice that of coal, similar amounts of CO2 are injected, which can be attributed to coal's higher CO2 adsorption capacity.

Enhanced storage performance of a low-cost hard carbon derived from biomass

Hard Carbon is the most widely used negative electrode material for sodium-ion batteries today. Achieving high storage capacity and increasing the plateau capacity, as opposed to the sloping profile, are crucial for enhancing energy density of the full cells. While several publications address the synthesis of hard carbon, the economic viability for commercial scale-up hinges on the choice of precursors. In this study, we report the electrochemical properties of hard carbon derived from two biomass precursors, sugarcane waste (bagasse) and corn waste, and compare their performances with commercially available hard carbon. The hard carbon derived from bagasse delivers a capacity of 307 mAh/g at C/10 rate and retains approximately 234 mAh/g at 3C discharge rate. We integrate surface area, pore size distribution, Raman spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering data to elucidate the sodium storage mechanism in these hard carbon samples. Correlated graphitic domains with hexagonal ordering along with fractal like agglomeration of the nanosheets are quantified. The high plateau capacity of the bagasse-derived hard carbon is attributed to the characteristic morphology and size distribution of the nanosheets and their nature of agglomeration.