From Fossil Fuel to Functional Electrode: An Outlook on Coal-Derived Anodes for Energy Storage Devices

Coal has been viewed as a source of energy production for decades, but recent research is uncovering some new, more sustainable roles beyond its combustion for this abundant resource. This review explores how coal can be transformed into high-performance carbon materials for use in LIBs, SIBs, KIBs, ZIBs, as well as in supercapacitors. Through controlled processes like carbonization, activation, and doping, coal can be engineered to deliver excellent conductivity, tailored porosity, and long-term cycling stability, which are the qualities essential for efficient energy storage. The type of coal used (anthracite, bituminous, or lignite) has a direct impact on the final carbon structure and overall performance. Compared to salts, biomass or polymer-derived carbons, coal-based materials offer more advantages in term of ready availability and greater potential for structural tuning and graphitization. This review also highlights recent advances in material engineering that enhance the electrochemical performance of coal-derived carbons, and it places these developments within the broader context of sustainability and circular economy principles. By changing the way we think about coal, from being mainly used as an energy source to a useful resource, this review shows how coal can be given a new purpose as a valuable material for future energy storage technologies.