Toward Next-Generation Carbon-Based Materials Derived from Waste and Biomass for High-Performance Energy Applications

Carbon and its derivatives such as graphene, activated carbon, and carbon aerogel, with diversity in morphology and structure, large surface area, and high electrical conductivity become ideal candidates in the growing field of energy. To meet the ever-increasing energy demand and the development of green and sustainable energy sources, the utilization of biomass and industrial wastes as a carbon precursor has attracted great attention. In recent years, several attempts have been transpired to convert biomass sources and industrial wastes into value-added carbon materials. However, not all reported precursors are suitable for practical energy applications. Furthermore, the lack of correlation between the characteristics of fabricated carbonaceous materials with desired properties for the energy field has dimmed the utilization of these materials in high-performance energy-storage devices. The purpose herein is to summarize the latest progress in this field as well as discuss the limitations on the commercialization of these materials along with possible solutions to remedy the drawbacks and improve the electrochemical performance of biomass and waste-derived carbon materials.