Emerging anode materials for low-temperature sodium-ion batteries: Challenges, recent advances, and perspectives

The development of electrochemical energy storage systems capable of operating under low-temperature conditions is crucial for enabling renewable energy applications in extreme environments. Although lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) occupied the market of rechargeable batteries, their limited lithium salt and awful low-temperature performance severely hamper their widely application. In contrast, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have attracted extensive attention as a promising alternative, owing to the naturally abundant sodium salt and its favorable physicochemical properties (smaller Stokes radius and lower desolvation energy), which enable better ionic conductivity and rate capability at low temperatures. However, the practical deployment of SIBs in cold environments remains hindered by sluggish electrochemical kinetics, unstable electrode-electrolyte interfaces, and structural degradation, particularly at the anode. To address these problems, considerable efforts have been made to explore anode materials for low-temperature SIBs (LT-SIBs). This paper reviews recent advances in the design and synthesis of advanced anode materials for LT-SIBs. It discusses the influence mechanism of temperature on the performance of the anode and summarizes the latest modification strategies to improve the low-temperature electrochemical performance of intercalation-/conversion-/alloying-type and Na anodes. Finally, the review outlines the prospects and directions for future research on low-temperature anodes. It is hoped that this review will offer meaningful guidance for the development of anode materials for SIBs operation in all climates.