Decaying leaves turn into energy: empowering high-energy-density lithium–sulfur batteries†

People's increasing demand for fossil fuels not only leads to environmental pollution but also highlights their non-renewable nature. Therefore, the urgency of developing renewable energy sources is evident. Tree branches and leaves undergo cycles of growth and decay with the changing seasons, showcasing their renewable potential. Despite this, they remain underutilized as new energy materials, particularly in the realm of high-energy-density lithium batteries. While this paper did not directly explore the utilization of various branches and leaves as raw materials for lithium–sulfur battery (LSB) cathodes, it revealed promising findings: they not only demonstrate good battery capacity but also boast considerable cycle life. The carbonized material from the leaves of Acer buergerianum can be used as the electrode of LSBs and could achieve 318.8 mA h g⁻¹ at 4C and a decay rate of only 0.03% at 1C for 400 cycles., respectively. Therefore, the innovative method of turning decaying leaves into energy contributes significantly to the future of renewable energy and environmental protection.