A forestry waste-derived lithium ion capacitor: Sustainable, high-power energy storage

In order to fill the demand for efficient and sustainable energy storage, hybrid systems combining batteries and supercapacitors are being explored. Lithium-ion capacitors (LICs), which leverage advances in electrical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) and lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), are particularly promising. In this study, we present a LIC using electrodes derived from Pinus Radiata biomass. The negative electrode, made of a hard carbon, achieves high capacity values (up to 112 mAh g⁻ 1 at 10C) without complex doping procedures, the use of expensive additives or complex processing. The positive capacitive electrode utilizes an activated carbon derived from the same hard carbon, which has a high specific surface area of 2399 m 2 g −1 . The proposed system exhibits an energy density of up to 105 Wh kg⁻ 1 at 700 W kg⁻ 1 , retaining 60 % capacity after 10,000 cycles at 10C. By utilizing locally accessible biomass, this approach offers a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to conventional LICs, with further optimization potential. This research highlights the potential of biomass-derived materials in developing high-power, eco-friendly, and affordable energy storage systems. • Lithium-ion capacitor using Pinus Radiata-derived biomass electrodes is presented. • Hard carbon anode achieves 112 mAh g⁻ 1 at 10C without expensive additives. • The system delivers 105 Wh kg⁻ 1 at 700 W kg⁻ 1 and retains 60 % capacity after 10,000 cycles. • Biomass-based LIC offers a sustainable and cost-effective energy storage solution.