Preparation of lignin based phenolic resin microspheres with controllable particle size and its application in capacitors

The lignin based phenolic resin microspheres were prepared by using lignin to partially replace phenol and react with formaldehyde, namely LPR microspheres. The lignin based phenolic resin carbon microspheres prepared by carbonization of LPR microspheres were applied in electrochemical capacitors, namely LPRC microspheres. The results showed that the introduction of lignin reduced the particle size of LPR microspheres significantly. When the amount of lignin replacing phenol was 50% (mass fraction, the same below), the LPR microspheres with particle size distribution of 5 μm to 10 μm were carbonized at different temperature, namely 0.5-LPRC microspheres. Then the 0.5-LPRC microspheres were applied to electrochemical capacitors. The specific surface area and capacitance of 0.5-LPRC materials was 1859.61m2 g−1 and 298F g−1 of 1.0A g−1 at the carbonization temperature of 900 °C separately, which indicated that the LPRC materials had excellent capacitance performance.