Lignocellulose and batteries-does that fit together?

The transition toward sustainable energy storage requires not only new battery chemistries, but also reconsideration of the materials used to manufacture electrochemical devices. Lignocellulosic materials are abundant, renewable, structurally versatile and already processed at very large industrial scale. At first sight, however, paper, cellulose and lignin appear far removed from the demanding chemical and electrochemical environment of batteries. The question is therefore: where can lignocellulose realistically contribute to future energy-storage technologies?

This contribution discusses different roles of lignocellulosic materials in batteries, ranging from relatively conventional functions to highly engineered electrochemical components. Cellulose fibres and nanocelluloses can provide mechanically robust porous structures and serve as separators, membranes, binders or substrates for functional coatings. Their surface chemistry enables the introduction of ion-selective groups, opening pathways toward PFAS-free ion-exchange membranes for redox-flow batteries and related electrochemical technologies. Carbonisation of lignocellulosic materials provides another route toward porous carbon electrodes, while lignin and other biomass-derived molecules can additionally act as precursors for redox-active compounds and functional polymers. In the end I will focus on the scale up challenges in flow battery technology as a specific example.

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