BPI Seminar - Lignin for Energy Storage
December 10, 2025, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Recharging Forest Byproducts: Transforming Lignin into High-Performance Supercapacitors
LOCATION: CHBE #202, Chemical & Biological Engineering Building at 2360 East Mall Vancouver BC V6T 1Z4
Agenda
- 1:00 PM Welcome & Intro - Dr. Orlando Rojas
- 1:05 PM Presentations
- Dr. Orlando Rojas, Professor & Canada Excellence Research Chair in Forest Bioproducts, Scientific Director of UBC BioProducts Institute
- Dr. Jian Liu, Associate Professor & Battery Innovation Cluster Lead, UBC Okanagan
- Daniel Barker-Rothschild, PhD Candidate, Chemical & Biological Engineering, UBC
- Dr. Rameez Ahmad Mir, Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Engineering, UBC Okanagan
- 1:45 PM Q&A
- 2:00 PM Closing
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Abstract
The global shift towards sustainable energy technologies has intensified the development of low-cost, high-efficiency materials for advanced energy storage systems. This project explores the process by which technical lignins, an underutilized-product from the forestry industry, are transformed into high performance carbon products for electric double layer-type supercapacitors (EDLCs).
Over the past several years, our research team has sourced 27 technical lignins from the global forest industry and processed them into more than 150 unique macromolecular fractions. This extensive work has provided valuable insight into how feedstock origin and chemical structure influence downstream material properties. Lignin-derived carbon, especially that obtained from softwood kraft lignin at high yield exhibits hierarchical porosity and a large surface area. These tailored surface features make lignin-based carbons highly effective electrode materials for EDLCs, which rely on rapid, surface-controlled charge storage mechanisms. EDLCs have been assembled at the coin-cell scale and further advanced intocommercially relevant pouch-cell prototypes. Moreover, lignosulfonates have been demonstrated as potential substitutes for poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF) binders in electrode fabrication. Further, gel polymer electrolytes synthesized from kraft lignin further support the development of fully lignin-based supercapacitors for next-generation energy storage technologies.
This presentation will be divided into two parts, highlighting the complementary research activities of Dr. Orlando Rojas' Group and Dr. Jian Liu's Group, followed by a Q&A session. Dr. Rojas' Group will discuss advances in converting lignin into bio-based activated carbon for energy storage applications, emphasizing circularity through utilization of forestry byproducts. Dr. Liu's Group will present ongoing work on electrode design, electrochemical performance evaluation, and device integration, demonstrating the scalable potential of lignin-derived activated carbon for energy storage. Together, these collaborative efforts bridge bio-based sustainability and circular energy technologies in material science and electrochemical engineering.
About the Speakers
Dr. Orlando Rojas: Prof. Orlando Rojas is a Canada Excellence Research Chair and Director of the Bioproducts Institute at UBC, where he leads global efforts in renewable materials and bio-based nanostructures. With over 500 publications and numerous honours he is recognized as a trailblazer in cellulose and lignin research. In the Engineering Lignin for Energy Storage project, Prof. Rojas leads the development of lignin-based carbon materials, utilizing his expertise in colloids, interfaces, and advanced bioproducts to achieve sustainable, high-performing supercapacitors. His approach connects fundamental science with scalable solutions for a circular bioeconomy.
Daniel Barker Rothschild: Daniel Barker-Rothschild is a PhD student in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at The University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada) working under the supervision of Professor Orlando Rojas. He obtained his BSc (2020) and MSc (2022) in Chemical Engineering at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada). His research focuses on using data-driven approaches to better understand complex and variable lignocellulosic feedstocks and to support their strategic upgrading via structure–property–performance relationships. Within the Engineering Lignin for Energy Storage project, Daniel focuses on carbon synthesis from lignin feedstocks.
Dr. Jian Liu: Dr. Jian Liu is an Associate Professor at UBC Okanagan and leads the Advanced Battery Facility. As a recognized leader in energy storage research, his work has been published in top journals. Additionally, he has received prestigious honors including the Killam Research Accelerator Fellowship and UBC Principal’s Research Chair in Energy Storage Technologies. Within the Engineering Lignin for Energy Storage project, Liu directs efforts to integrate lignin-derived carbon into supercapacitor systems. He leads the team with expertise in advanced nanofabrication, interfacial engineering, and scalable manufacturing to develop sustainable, high-performance energy storage applications
Dr. Rameez Ahmad Mir: Rameez Ahmad Mir is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow (PDF) at UBC Okanagan, specializing in advanced materials for energy storage. He has extensive experience in electrode fabrication for supercapacitors, batteries, and the development of electrocatalysts for hydrogen production. With expertise in material synthesis, electrode engineering, and electrolyte optimization for coin and pouch cells. Within the Lignin for Energy Storage project, Rameez focuses on developing scalable lignin-derived supercapacitor systems by integrating tailored lignin-derived electrodes, gel polymer electrolytes, and designing high-performance energy storage devices.