Efficient Production of Hard Carbon from Modified Lignin (CARAMEL)

The large-scale use of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) is expected to contribute to the realization of a fossil-free society that is dependent on energy derived from sustainable, earth-abundant, and bio-based raw materials. Hard carbons derived from biomass resources like lignin have promising potential to enable commercial SIBs.

The biggest challenge is that hard carbons exhibit undefined structure and chemical compositions making it difficult to predict their performance in practical applications.

This project aims to bring together researchers from UU, RISE, and Altris AB to develop new synthesis routes to hard carbons from modified lignin.

A range of lignin isolation, modification and carbonization steps will be devised to produce hard carbons with controlled structure and electrochemical characteristics.

New methods suited for characterizing hard carbons will be developed based on electrochemical methods, small-angle X-ray scattering, TEM, Raman scattering and electron spectroscopy.