Understanding the effects of lignin chemical and structural properties on its thermal processing and conversion into advanced carbon materials for energy storage applications

Carbon materials have a versatile and widespread use that permeates many areas of our everyday life. Nevertheless, most of the currently used carbon materials are still fossil-based. Some of them are becoming increasingly scarce such as natural graphite, which is listed as Critical Raw Material in the European Union. It is hence of primary importance to start producing alternative renewable carbon materials from more sustainable precursors such as lignocelluloses. The Lignins2Carbons project aims at valorizing lignin, nature’s most abundant aromatic biopolymer and a by-product of pulp mills and biorefineries, by converting it into advanced and renewable carbon materials for energy storage applications.