From laboratory to mass production: mechanistic insights and optimization of eco-friendly carbon-based anodes from biomass for potassium-ion batteries

Biomass-derived carbon-based materials with high performance, is expected to become the frontrunners in anodes for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) because of cost-effectiveness, non-toxic, and ecological compatibility. Herein, this review systematically explores critical parameters during the application of biomass-derived carbon as anodic electrodes for PIBs, highlighting material selection, preparation methods, and electrochemical performance. Biomass sources such as plant organs, plant straw, and animal bones offer a cost-effective and renewable route to produce carbon anodes, with unique structural advantages for potassium storage. Key preparation techniques (including pyrolysis, chemical activation, templating, hydrothermal carbonization and microwave-assisted pyrolysis) allow for precise tuning of porosity, surface area, and heteroatom doping, enhancing reversible capacity, rate property, and cycling stability. We further analyze the potassium storage mechanisms, providing insights into the intercalation and adsorption processes that occur during battery operation. However, the mass production before application of these materials is constrained by material selection, preparation processes, and reaction mechanisms. The review also identifies critical challenges for scaling up production, such as consistency in material properties and energy efficiency, and outlines potential solutions, including process optimization and sustainable synthesis techniques. Future research focus on enhancing the property of bio-derived carbon anodes through structural and compositional optimization to catch the increasing demands of electrochemical energy storage technologies.