Electrochemical Applications of Biomass Carbon

Dear Colleagues,

In recent times, there has been a growing focus on employing waste biomass as an abundant, cost-effective, and sustainable source of both fuel and materials. This presents a significant opportunity to optimize energy production by utilizing reliable waste biomass as a renewable and economically feasible resource.

Compared to alternative carbon materials, properties derived from biomass are more environmentally conscious, with reduced toxicity. Moreover, the naturally occurring structured porous composition in biomass aids in the activation process, resulting in porous carbons with remarkably high specific surface areas and pore capacities. The presence of elements such as S, P, N, and O in biomass naturally leads to the creation of self-doped S, P, N, and O carbons with very particular structures.

The conversion of abundant and economically viable biomass into carbon-based materials has emerged as an exceedingly promising avenue for obtaining low-cost, renewable, and sustainable electrocatalysts. The versatile physical and chemical properties of carbon materials derived from biomass mean they are often chosen as electrode materials for energy storage devices, driven by considerations such as environmental sustainability and economic feasibility. These materials find applications in electrochemical capacitors, lithium-ion batteries, lithium–sulfur batteries, sodium-ion batteries, and other clean energy technologies, rendering them as fitting candidates for next-generation environmental energy solutions.

Furthermore, biomass-derived carbon materials can function as exceptional supports for catalysts in fuel cells. When manufacturing electrochemical sensors, porous carbonaceous materials originating from biomass are proposed due to their unique attributes, including their regenerative characteristics, affordability, distinctive structures, and sustainability.

Their use in sensors is currently a very important field of study. The surface properties in electrochemical sensors, particularly related  the sensor’s pore volume, surface area, and pore size, significantly impact both its electrochemical and catalytic performance, improving the properties of the sensor considerably.

In particular, the electrocatalytic process of water splitting, powered by sustainable electricity, assumes a fundamental role in advancing next-generation green hydrogen technology. This, again, emphasizes the significance of biomass-derived carbon materials in facilitating eco-conscious energy solutions.

This Special Issue will not be limited to the above-mentioned topics; thus, all topics related to the subject of this Special Issue are welcome.

Dr. Alvaro Yamil Tesio
Dr. Almudena Benítez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• energy storage
• sensor applications
• compound recovery
• adsorption
• CO₂ capture
• catalysis
• capacitive deionization
• water purification
• water splitting