Bio-derived hierarchical micro/nanostructures from wood for energy conversion and storage

With the advancement of technology, the demand for environmentally friendly energy sources is increasing. Currently, the most commercially successful lithium-ion batteries cannot meet future demands due to their relatively low theoretical energy density. In contrast, lithium-sulfur batteries and metal-air batteries possess exceptionally high theoretical energy densities, making them the most promising candidates for next-generation batteries. However, several challenges remain before these batteries can be commercially viable on a large scale. Wood-derived materials, being abundant, environmentally friendly, biodegradable, and possessing unique hierarchical porous structures and excellent mechanical properties, present a remarkable potential for use in binder-free self-supporting electrodes and thick electrodes. These attributes offer a promising solution to the challenges faced by lithium-sulfur and metal-air batteries. This review highlights the application of wood-derived materials in next-generation high-performance batteries, specifically lithium-sulfur and metal-air batteries. It discusses the role of the hierarchical porous structures of wood-derived materials and outlines the challenges associated with their use. Additionally, it provides insights and ideas for future research directions in this area.