Geometrically Polarized Transport in Wedge-Shaped Mesoporous Carbon: A New Paradigm for Sodium-Ion Storage

Geometrically Polarized Transport in Wedge-Shaped Mesoporous Carbon: A New Paradigm for Sodium-Ion Storage | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Geometrically Polarized Transport in Wedge-Shaped Mesoporous Carbon: A New Paradigm for Sodium-Ion Storage Yanqing Wang, Gang Huang, Wenjie Ma, Kadi Hu, Longbo Luo, Jingxue Yu, and 3 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8786528/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Overcoming the rate-capacity trade-off in hard carbon anodes, a key bottleneck for sodium-ion batteries, requires moving beyond the traditional focus on pore size. This work presents a micelle-solvent interfacial self-assembly strategy that fabricates carbon spheres with precisely tunable, radially converging wedge-shaped mesopores. The unique architecture, governed by dynamic curvature–modulated micelle fusion and growth mechanism, enables a transformative "ion pre-enrichment—confined desolvation—cluster storage" process for Na⁺. Wide pore segments (> 5 nm) serve as high-throughput ion pre-reservoirs, while adjacent narrowing channels (2–5 nm) generate strong nanoconfinement. This effect compresses solvation shells, drastically lowers the desolvation barrier, and fosters the formation of high-density sodium ion aggregates (AGGs), as confirmed by ex situ spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. The optimally structured anode delivers an ultrahigh reversible capacity (658.5 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1 A g⁻¹), exceptional long-term cycling stability (200.1 mAh g⁻¹ after 50,000 cycles at 20 A g⁻¹), and superior full-cell performance. By establishing a "pore geometry-kinetics matching" principle, this geometric regulation concept provides a universal framework for optimizing ion-storage behavior across various battery systems, thereby, accelerating the commercialization of SIBs for large-scale energy storage. Physical sciences/Energy science and technology/Energy storage/Batteries Physical sciences/Energy science and technology/Renewable energy sodium-ion batteries hard carbons wedge-shaped mesoporous solvation Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files 20260204SI.docx 20260204-SI Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8786528","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":586321623,"identity":"09844ede-de02-4810-9864-26c340baee69","order_by":0,"name":"Yanqing Wang","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA9UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYLCCBAjF+ACFS4wWZgPitUABmwRRWgyOnz144+GO2sT+2e3XKn/UHGbgZ88xYPi5A4+WM3nJFolnjifOuHOm7DbPscMMkj1vDBh7z+DRciDHTCKx7Vhuw42ctNuMDYcZDG7kGDAztuHRcv4NRMt8oJbCn0At9gS13ADbUpO74Ub6MQZekC0SBLRI3nhjbJHYdqB+440cZmmeY+k8EmeeFRzsxaOF73yO4c2fbXXGcjfSH378UWMtx9+evPHBTzxaFA4wMACj4zCQyQOOSR4QcQC3BgYG+Qawljogk/0BPoWjYBSMglEwggEAbxpaHSiP7xgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yanqing","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""},{"id":586321624,"identity":"041fb422-cbe8-42f2-8667-f616e8b48c49","order_by":1,"name":"Gang Huang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Gang","middleName":"","lastName":"Huang","suffix":""},{"id":586321625,"identity":"05411584-c129-4cd4-8ab1-e9b4bb735595","order_by":2,"name":"Wenjie Ma","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Wenjie","middleName":"","lastName":"Ma","suffix":""},{"id":586321626,"identity":"dd5c3780-a7f8-4c02-ac04-77255ebcfdf1","order_by":3,"name":"Kadi Hu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Advanced Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers Technology, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kadi","middleName":"","lastName":"Hu","suffix":""},{"id":586321627,"identity":"5b7c9a22-b33d-45c3-ba8a-f225911338d1","order_by":4,"name":"Longbo Luo","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Sichuan University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Longbo","middleName":"","lastName":"Luo","suffix":""},{"id":586321628,"identity":"f88eb226-458e-47fd-9227-06b2ac91c470","order_by":5,"name":"Jingxue Yu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"School of Materials Engineering Jinling Institute of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jingxue","middleName":"","lastName":"Yu","suffix":""},{"id":586321629,"identity":"0a7bf923-d990-4c11-a4bb-5646a5ca8e48","order_by":6,"name":"Qin Shen","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Nanjing Shengjie New Energy Materials Co., Ltd","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Qin","middleName":"","lastName":"Shen","suffix":""},{"id":586321630,"identity":"5372b6bb-2bd3-4c28-854c-52e1336d1a3f","order_by":7,"name":"Ziqi Tian","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5667-597X","institution":"Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ziqi","middleName":"","lastName":"Tian","suffix":""},{"id":586321631,"identity":"6ef94d6f-25db-488d-a172-b112041e5c07","order_by":8,"name":"Yuan Chen","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9059-3839","institution":"The University of Sydney","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yuan","middleName":"","lastName":"Chen","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-02-04 12:31:33","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8786528/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8786528/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":103461892,"identity":"2faec8af-cd52-462a-9508-b1e80e167751","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-26 02:55:28","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2201687,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"20260204Manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8786528/v1_covered_9a850999-6ac5-4410-a0b8-53908d1dfbd6.pdf"},{"id":103461858,"identity":"8452fad0-5b3d-4428-acba-7b95d08ce99a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-26 02:55:17","extension":"docx","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":16111603,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"20260204-SI","description":"","filename":"20260204SI.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8786528/v1/e25d1039fa598bd837b81ad4.docx"}],"financialInterests":"There is \u003cb\u003eNO\u003c/b\u003e Competing Interest.","formattedTitle":"Geometrically Polarized Transport in Wedge-Shaped Mesoporous Carbon: A New Paradigm for Sodium-Ion Storage","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-portfolio","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Nature Portfolio","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":false,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"sodium-ion batteries, hard carbons, wedge-shaped mesoporous, solvation","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8786528/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8786528/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eOvercoming the rate-capacity trade-off in hard carbon anodes, a key bottleneck for sodium-ion batteries, requires moving beyond the traditional focus on pore size. This work presents a micelle-solvent interfacial self-assembly strategy that fabricates carbon spheres with precisely tunable, radially converging wedge-shaped mesopores. The unique architecture, governed by dynamic curvature\u0026ndash;modulated micelle fusion and growth mechanism, enables a transformative \"ion pre-enrichment\u0026mdash;confined desolvation\u0026mdash;cluster storage\" process for Na⁺. Wide pore segments (\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;5 nm) serve as high-throughput ion pre-reservoirs, while adjacent narrowing channels (2\u0026ndash;5 nm) generate strong nanoconfinement. This effect compresses solvation shells, drastically lowers the desolvation barrier, and fosters the formation of high-density sodium ion aggregates (AGGs), as confirmed by ex situ spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. The optimally structured anode delivers an ultrahigh reversible capacity (658.5 mAh g⁻\u0026sup1; at 0.1 A g⁻\u0026sup1;), exceptional long-term cycling stability (200.1 mAh g⁻\u0026sup1; after 50,000 cycles at 20 A g⁻\u0026sup1;), and superior full-cell performance. By establishing a \"pore geometry-kinetics matching\" principle, this geometric regulation concept provides a universal framework for optimizing ion-storage behavior across various battery systems, thereby, accelerating the commercialization of SIBs for large-scale energy storage.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Geometrically Polarized Transport in Wedge-Shaped Mesoporous Carbon: A New Paradigm for Sodium-Ion Storage","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-26 02:54:14","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8786528/v1","editorialEvents":[],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-communications","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"NCOMMS","sideBox":"Learn more about [Nature Communications](http://www.nature.com/ncomms/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://mts-ncomms.nature.com/","title":"Nature Communications","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"Nature Communications","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"c3a2e866-91a1-43d2-b71d-310af2012f70","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 26th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[{"id":62382400,"name":"Physical sciences/Energy science and technology/Energy storage/Batteries"},{"id":62382401,"name":"Physical sciences/Energy science and technology/Renewable energy"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-13T07:51:09+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-26 02:54:14","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8786528","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8786528","identity":"rs-8786528","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}