Recycling wood treated with copper-based preservatives to produce hard carbon materials for energy storage applications

IRG/WP 25-50401

D Huo, J-P Bonnet, A Jamali

In this study, we explored the possibility of recycling wood treated with copper-based preservatives to produce hard carbon materials for use in energy storage devices. We pyrolsed both untreated and copper-treated wood into hard carbon, conducted microstructural and physicochemical characterisation, prepared electrode materials, and evaluated their electrochemical performance in sodium-ion batteries. The resulting hard carbons demonstrated satisfactory electrochemical properties, surpassing commercial hard carbon in reversible capacity. During pyrolysis, carbon whiskers formed on the wood surface, seemingly catalysed by the reduction of copper oxide to metallic copper in treated wood. This process enhanced the electrical conductivity of the materials but slightly increased the battery’s irreversible capacity. Our findings highlight that recycling copper-treated wood into hard carbon anodes could provide a sustainable alternative to conventional waste disposal while enhancing key material properties, such as porosity and conductivity, with promising applications in energy storage and industrial processes.


Keywords: recycling, copper-treated wood, hard carbon, carbon whisker, sodium-ion batteries

Conference: 25-06-22/26 Yokohama, Japan


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