High-Capacity Derivatives Produced from Hydrolytic Lignin as Electrode Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion

Abstract

The hydrolytic lignin derivatives have been prepared via its physical activation (high-temperature heating in vacuum) followed by chemical modification (fluorination). The obtained products were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the graphitized product of thermal activation up to 1000 °C at a low rate of < 2 °C/min under high vacuum shows an enhanced specific surface area (215 m2/g), that makes its potentially useful as sorbent, catalytic substrate or electrode material. To clarify the potentialities of hydrolytic lignin derivatives for energy storage and conversion, the electrochemical system with metallic lithium anode was applied. The galvanostatic discharge of battery at a current density of 100 μA/cm2between 3.0 and 0.5 V shows that the specific capacity of thermally activated derivative is equal to 845 mA·h/g, while the untreated lignin yields only 190 mA·h/g. The improve of the electrochemical performance of product originates from its graphitization, increasing electronic conductivity, and, possibly, enhanced ability to adsorb of oxygen. The fluorination of both the lignin and its thermally activated form results in higher operating voltage of battery, as seems, due to the involvement of fluorine bound to carbon in electrochemical process.