Researchers develop sodium-ion battery material from wood byproduct

Researchers from the University of Limerick and the University of Valencia have successfully converted lignosulfonate, a byproduct of the pulp and paper industry, into carbon nanofibers for use in sodium-ion batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries are being developed as a more sustainable and abundant alternative to lithium-ion technology. While lithium is rare and subject to volatile pricing and environmental concerns regarding extraction, sodium is widely available in salt compounds and is significantly more abundant in the Earth's crust.

The new process utilizes electrospinning to create ultra-fine fibers from an aqueous lignosulfonate mixture. While a small amount of polymeric stabilizer was used during the spinning process, the method remains water-based and avoids toxic organic solvents. The resulting carbon structures can serve as electrodes for energy storage applications without requiring additional synthetic binders.