The electrochemical performance of glucose-derived hard carbon (GDHC) anode has been evaluated using Li-and Na-salts in ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate electrolyte mixtures. The LiPF6/EC: PC (1: 1) system exhibits high capacity at low current densities (400 mAh g(-1) at 25 mA g(-1)) and also good power characteristics retaining 150 mAh g(-1) capacity at 2 A g(-1) current density. The best overall performance was achieved with 1 M NaPF6/EC: PC (1: 1) electrolyte based system with capacities of 175 mAh g(-1) at 0.1 V vs Na/Na+ and 330 mAh g(-1) at 1.5 V vs Na/Na+. The electrode has been physically characterized ex-situ using SEM, Raman and TOF-SIMS methods TOF-SIMS analysis revealed that the solid electrolyte interphase is more inorganic on the negative electrode in the Na-cell than on the negative electrode the Li-cell. The positive ion-specific images established by TOF-SIMS analysis show the nonhomogeneous distribution of various fragments from the pristine GDHC, which is caused by slightly inhomogeneous mixture of GDHC and conducting carbon black (Super P1) particles. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.