Utilizing Hydrolysate Derived from Biorefinery as a Carbon Coating Source for Silicon–Carbon Anodes in Lithium-Ion Capacitors

With growing concerns regarding climate change and environmental pollution, there is increasing interest in affordable renewable resources to support sustainable development. Biomass is an abundant and inexpensive source of energy. One of the most efficient ways to utilize biomass is through biorefinery, which produces alternative energy sources and other high value-added products. In this study, a silicon–carbon composite anode for lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) is synthesized using hydrolysates generated from the pretreatment process for biorefinery as a carbon coating source. The obtained silicon–carbon composite anode exhibits a high gravimetric capacity (3014 mAh g–1 at 0.1 A g–1) and high initial columbic efficiency (89.1%). Moreover, the silicon–carbon composite anode employed in the lithium-ion capacitor exhibits a high energy density (106 Wh kg–1), high power density (5985 W kg–1), and good cycling performance (98% at 5C after 3000 cycles). The inventive approach presented for utilizing byproducts from biorefinery processes contributes to the development of sustainable energy storage devices.