Lignin batteries
Ziyauddin Khan
Linköping University
Plants have existed on Earth for millions of years, with the earliest evidence of plant life dating back to around 470 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. It was not until 2012 that lignin, a component of plants, was explored as an electrode for energy storage in its pristine form. This was prompted by the abundant and inexpensive production of lignin, approximately six million tons annually, by the pulp and paper industries in Sweden, making it an attractive option for energy storage applications. Although lignin is rich in phenolic groups, crucial for electrochemical energy storage, it is electronically insulating and requires combination with electronic conductors to form nanocomposites capable of storing electricity. We have optimized lignin-carbon nanocomposite which has been used to demonstrate lignin batteries including Zn-lignin battery.