Lignin is one of the three major components in lignocellulose, including agricultural and forestry biomass. It is the second-most abundant natural biopolymer, surpassed only by cellulose. Lignin contains more than 60% carbon, making it an attractive renewable precursor to produce electrode carbon materials for energy storage applications. However, lignin is highly heterogeneous, and its composition and structural properties largely depend on the plant source as well as biomass processing methods and conditions. An in-depth understanding of lignin properties is critical for the precise control of the structural properties of resulting carbon materials as well as the electrochemical performance when used as electrodes.
In this presentation, Prof Zhanying Zhang will review his group’s early research in developing different biomass pretreatment and fractionation methods, highlighting how biomass processing methods affect lignin properties. Furthermore, Prof Zhanying Zhang will summarise their recent progress in converting lignin into carbon materials for supercapacitor and battery electrode applications, providing an in-depth look at the property relationship between lignin precursors and the resulting carbon materials. Finally, Prof Zhanying Zhang will discuss the challenges and future research directions for lignin-derived carbon electrode materials.