Dual-templated synthesis of mesoporous lignin-derived honeycomb-like porous carbon/SiO2 composites for high-performance Li-ion battery

Lignin-derived carbon is regarded as one of the most promising electrochemical energy storage materials because of its sustainability, low cost and high conductivity. However, the lithium-ion storage capability of lignin-derived carbon in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is hampered by its disordered wine bottle-like micropores. Herein, a lignin-derived honeycomb-like porous carbon encapsulated SiO2 (LHC/SiO2-21) with three-dimensional interconnected honeycomb-like mesoporous structure is synthesized via a dual-template-assisted self-assembly strategy. The ordered mesoporous structure and high pore volume (2.23 cm3 g−1) synergistically lead to fast lithium ions diffusion kinetics and more lithium-ion storage sites. When applied as anode materials for LIBs, LHC/SiO2-21 exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1109 mAh g−1, superior rate capability, and long cycle performance. Moreover, the high-capacity LHC/SiO2-21 is prepared by a green approach originating from low-cost lignin and self-assembly method. Thus, lignin-derived carbon materials have the great potential for the application in energy storage.