A Mechanistic Study of Bio-Based Nanotemplated Carbon Nanofibers Derived From Water Processable Lignin Blends for Sustainable Energy Storage Applications

This article studies the process for obtaining sustainable and environmentally friendly, carbon nanofibers via an electrospinning process using water without the need for organic solvents or synthetic polymers/binders. Lignosulfonate, gelatin, and alginate are selected for water solubility, ability to produce templated carbon nanostructures and for sustainability. Gelatin and alginate are sacrificial templates during thermal processing, allowing the production of engineered high surface area hollow nanostructures. A mechanistic study is performed to elucidate the relationship between carbon hybridization and electrochemical performance. The as-spun carbon materials were further characterized for potential applications in sodium-ion batteries.