Chapter 9 - Bio-based electric devices

Abstract

The development of bio-based materials is one of the biggest challenges of our society as fossil resources are becoming scarcer. Decoupling of our economy from the fossil resource base by developing a bio-based one can only be successful, if advanced materials are produced from renewable resources. There is a considerable potential of substitution in the field of electrochemical energy storage technologies (supercapacitors or batteries) and energy conversion systems (fuel cells), which are of central importance in the context of renewable energies and e-mobility. The capacity of the energy storage and conversion technologies is significantly determined by the used electrode materials, which currently are made of fossil activated carbon. Through carbonization of biomass (hydrothermal or pyrolysis) and following activation and functionalization of the carbon materials, bio-based materials can be produced in order to substitute the conventional counterparts. Currently, activated carbons from coconut shell are already used as electrode material in energy storage, but the huge potential of other biomass precursors remains unnoticed by the industry till now. Current research shows that the production of promising bio-based activated carbon or composite materials made of different biomasses and metal-oxides or heteroatoms is possible. However, correlations between the production parameters (e.g., carbonization temperature), physiochemical properties (e.g., inner surface area, surface functionalities), and their electrochemical performance still need further research. The objective must be to produce bio-based materials which are not only technically equal or better than their fossil counterparts, but also provide economic and ecological benefits. This chapter gives an overview about the operation principles and state-of-the-art in the field of energy storage and conversion systems to provide a deeper insight into the application potential of bio-based carbon materials.