Catalytic Graphitization of Pyrolysis Oil for Anode Application in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Graphite demand is increasing rapidly due to the popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) and mobile devices. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are the power source of EVs and mobile devices and the anodes of LIBs are mostly made of graphite, which is currently produced in an unsustainable and costly manner. For the first time, battery-grade biographite is produced from a renewable and sustainable precursor, biomass-derived pyrolysis oil, using iron as the graphitizing catalyst. Considering battery-grade graphite production at scale, pyrolysis oil offers several advantages as feedstock over biomass in terms of higher carbon density, low inorganics, easy handling, and low transportation cost. Catalytic graphitization of pyrolysis oil can be induced at low temperature (~1100 degrees C). Herein, catalytic graphitization using iron powder was carried out under relatively moderate conditions (1500 degrees C) to reduce costs and environmental impact as compared to incumbent technologies. After graphitization, the residual catalyst was removed by refluxing the biographite + iron solid mixture with hydrochloric acid. The efficiency of iron removal was studied using the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technique. The structural and morphological properties of biographites were assessed via X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The in situ XRD experiments provided a mechanistic understanding of the iron-catalyzed graphitization process. In addition, the effect of pyrolysis oil aging on the biographite crystalline structure was elucidated. The optimal biographite sample demonstrated impressive electrochemical performance with a reversible capacity of 350 mA h g-1, an initial coulombic efficiency of 90.2%, and minimal capacity loss over 100 cycles when applied as an LIB anode, thereby making pyrolysis oil-derived biographite potentially competitive with commercially available battery-grade graphite.