{
  "abstract": "Hard carbon (HC) anodes are typically described in terms of their final structure. However, this structure is influenced by multiple competing factors, and precursor-level chemical interactions can play an important role in directing its eventual evolution. Here, metal coordination is used to direct lignin precursor organization and control the evolution of lignin-derived HCs. Magnesium gluconate (MgGlu2) introduced into alkaline lignin promotes selective Mg2+ coordination with oxygen-containing functional groups, enabling reorganization of the lignin network prior to carbonization. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show a thermodynamic preference of Mg2+ for phenolate (Ph–)-rich environments over gluconate ligands and β–O–4 linkages, consistent with the formation of cross-linked precursor configurations. This coordination is preserved during freeze-drying and translates into a distinct carbon microstructure upon pyrolysis. The resulting carbon exhibits a more accessible pore structure and improved cycling stability, retaining 93.6% of its post-solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) capacity after 400 cycles, compared to 8.7% for the pristine counterpart. These results demonstrate that phenolate-directed Mg2+ coordination governs precursor organization and contributes to the structural stability of lignin-derived HCs. More broadly, this work establishes precursor-level coordination as a route to control structure–performance relationships in HC anodes.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Åbo Akademi University , , Henriksgatan 2 , ,",
    "Sensmet Ltd. , Otakaari 7 , ,",
    "Paul Scherrer Institute , , ,",
    "Aalto University , , ,"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Angelo Robiños",
      "orcid": "0009-0003-9200-9909"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ville Yrjänä"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Jerwin Jay Taping"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Hao Zhang",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4597-8470"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Najeeb ur Rehman Lashari"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Inge Schlapp-Hackl",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-9436-7134"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jan-Henrik Smått"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Chunlin Xu",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1860-9669"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Johan Bobacka",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2346-9947"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bd71qyaax4538.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1021/acsomega.6c06946",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "bd71qyaax4538",
  "issns": [
    "2470-1343"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://pubs.acs.org/acsodf/article/doi/10.1021/acsomega.6c06946/5463992/Phenolate-Mediated-Structural-Evolution-of-Lignin",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acsomega.6c06946",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-04",
  "publisher": "American Chemical Society (ACS)",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bd71qyaax4538.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-05T00:20:52Z",
      "native_id": "10.1021/acsomega.6c06946",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://pubs.acs.org/acsodf/article/doi/10.1021/acsomega.6c06946/5463992/Phenolate-Mediated-Structural-Evolution-of-Lignin"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "issn:2470-1343",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Phenolate-Mediated Structural Evolution of Lignin toward Hard Carbon Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries",
  "title_text": "Phenolate-Mediated Structural Evolution of Lignin toward Hard Carbon Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-06T00:21:08Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bd71qyaax4538",
  "venue": "ACS Omega",
  "versions": []
}