ABSTRACT
Non-aqueous rechargeable batteries are the dominant power source in the transport sector, particularly in the field of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) owing to their high energy and power densities. To meet the increasing energy demand of EVs and HEVs, non-aqueous rechargeable batteries are employed with nanostructured architectures as electrode materials. The production of nanoscale architectures is much expensive, which subsequently increases the price of the overall manufacturing cost of batteries. Meanwhile, the fabrication of nanoscale architectures from recyclable biowastes is one of the key resources for the design of sustainable green energy technology. More importantly, biomass wastes- or biomass-derived functional electrode materials not only provide a solution to the environmental consequences associated with the combustion of biomass, but also offer inexpensive new functional materials for energy generation. This chapter systematically summarizes the recent progress in biomass-derived functional materials that are employed as electrodes in non-aqueous rechargeable batteries and further discusses the influence of the nature of biomass on the electrochemical reaction kinetics of batteries.
