Topic: Biomass-Derived Functional Materials for Next-Generation Energy Applications

Over the past several decades, the ever-increasing global energy demand and the urgent need to mitigate climate change have driven intensive research into renewable and sustainable energy technologies. Biomass, as an abundant, renewable, and carbon‑neutral resource, offers a compelling platform for the development of functional materials for energy conversion and storage. Natural biopolymers such as lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, chitosan, and algal-derived substances possess unique hierarchical structures, rich surface chemistry, and inherent renewability, making them attractive precursors for carbonaceous materials, polymer electrolytes, binders, separators, and catalytic supports. However, despite significant progress, challenges persist in precisely tailoring the microstructure, porosity, heteroatom doping, and interfacial properties of biomass‑derived materials to meet the stringent requirements of modern energy devices. Limitations such as low electrical conductivity, insufficient structural stability under operational conditions, and difficulties in achieving large‑scale, cost‑effective production still hinder their practical adoption.

In recent years, biomass‑derived materials have demonstrated remarkable versatility across a broad spectrum of energy applications, including lithium‑ion, sodium‑ion, potassium‑ion, aqueous zinc‑ion, magnesium-ion, and aluminum-ion batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, dye‑sensitized and perovskite solar cells, as well as photo‑/electrocatalytic processes such as water splitting, carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction, and biomass valorization into fuels and fine chemicals. The integration of these materials into energy devices not only promotes green and sustainable manufacturing but also often delivers unique performance advantages due to their intrinsic structural and chemical functionalities. Although substantial achievements have been made, there remains considerable room for further innovation in elucidating structure-property relationships, advancing scalable synthesis methods, and validating device-level performance.

Scope and Topics

This Special Issue aims to explore recent advances in the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of biomass‑derived functional materials for energy technologies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

● Biomass‑derived carbons, heteroatom‑doped porous carbons, and their composites for rechargeable batteries (Li, Na, K, Zn, Mg, Al‑ion), supercapacitors, and hybrid capacitors;

● Natural polymer‑based electrolytes, gel polymer electrolytes, separators, binders, and solid‑state electrolytes for various battery systems, Supercapacitors and fuel cells;

● Biomass‑derived electrode materials and catalysts for fuel cells (e.g., oxygen reduction, alcohol oxidation) and water splitting (HER, OER);

● Biomass‑derived hole/electron transport layers, counter electrodes, and sensitizers for photovoltaic devices (organic, perovskite, dye‑sensitized solar cells);

● Photocatalytic and electrocatalytic conversion of biomass (lignin, cellulose, algae, waste organics) into high‑value chemicals, biofuels (e.g., gasoline, jet fuel), hydrogen, and pharmaceutical intermediates;

● Integrated systems coupling biomass conversion with energy storage or energy generation;

● Advanced characterization, theoretical modeling, machine learning, and life‑cycle assessment of biomass‑derived energy materials;

● Scalable fabrication techniques and device integration strategies.

Biomass, lignin, cellulose, aqueous batteries, photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, energy storage materials, energy conversion