Carbon engineering for sodium batteries: multi-role architectures bridging material design and hybrid system innovation

storage for energy-oriented applications and defect-guided Na deposition for power-oriented needs. This system integrates three adaptive operation modes: standard, boost, and survival, enabling scenario-specific optimization for applications ranging from consumer electronics to grid storage and extreme environments. Finally, we identify critical challenges in carbon engineering, such as dynamic interface evolution during mode-switching and potential-driven phase transitions in hybrid systems. By bridging multi-scale carbon design with hybrid battery electrochemistry, this review provides a roadmap for developing Na batteries with broad application compatibility by carbon engineering, addressing both fundamental and technological challenges in sustainable energy storage.