Pyrolitic carbon from biomass precursors as anode materials for lithium batteries

Disordered carbonaceous materials were synthesized by the pyrolysis of banana fibers treated with pore-forming substances such as ZnCl2 and KOH. X-ray diffraction studies indicated a carbon structure with a large number of disorganized single layer carbon sheets. Addition of porogenic agent led to remarkable changes in the structure and morphology of the carbonaceous products. The product obtained with ZnCl2 treatment gave first-cycle lithium insertion and de-insertion capacities of 3325 and 400 mAh g−1, respectively. Lower capacities only could be realized in the subsequent cycles, although the coulombic efficiency increased upon cycling, which in the 10th cycle was 95%.