Mesoporous carbon derived from lignin sulfonate as a sustainable cathode for high-performance aluminium batteries

The development of sustainable and efficient energy storage systems is crucial for addressing the growing global energy demand. This study investigates the potential of mesoporous carbon derived from lignin sulfonate as a cathode material for aluminium batteries. Lignin sulfonate, a by-product of the paper industry, was used as a precursor to synthesize mesoporous carbon through a facile and eco-friendly activation process. The resulting carbon material exhibited a high specific surface area of ∼ 2259 m²/g and a well-defined balance of micro- and meso- porosity, making it a promising cathode material for high-performance aluminium batteries. Electrochemical characterization showed that the mesoporous carbon cathode delivered an impressive specific capacity of 91 mAh/g at 1.0 A/g current density even after 7000 cycles with excellent cycling stability. It delivered superior rate capabilities of 105, 89, 80, 72, 67, 63, 90, and 105 mAh/g at 0.1, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 1.0, and 0.1 A/g current rates, respectively. The use of lignin-sulfonate as a precursor to prepare mesoporous carbon opens up a new sustainable way for improving the electrochemical performance of carbon-based cathode materials for aluminium batteries.