Emerging Lignin-Based Materials in Electrochemical Energy Systems

Lignin is a promising material due to its excellent properties. It is commonly used in electrochemical energy systems (including electrolytes, electrodes, diaphragms, and binders) due to its low price, sustainability and rich functional groups. However, lignin’s applications in energy storage systems have not been systematically reviewed in the current research. In this article, recent advances in the preparation and design of lignin-derived energy storage materials were reviewed. Starting with a brief overview of the basic chemistry of lignin and the separation process, progress in the preparation of lignin-based materials for lithium-ion batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, and solar cells were described, respectively. This review provides the basis for the application of lignin in the field of electrochemical energy systems. Also, the current bottleneck problems and perspectives of lignin-derived materials in improved energy storage device performance were presented for future developments.