Emerging Modification Technologies of Lignin‐based Activated Carbon toward Advanced Applications

Lignin‐based activated carbon (LAC) is a promising high‐quality functional material due to high surface area, abundant porous structure, and various functional groups. Modification is the most important step to functionalize LAC by altering its porous and chemical properties. This Review summarizes the state‐of‐the‐art modification technologies of LAC toward advanced applications. Promising modification approaches are reviewed to display their effects on the preparation of LAC. The multiscale changes in the porosity and the surface chemistry of LAC are fully discussed. Advanced applications are then introduced to show the potential of LAC for supercapacitor electrode, catalyst support, hydrogen storage, and carbon dioxide capture. Finally, the mechanistic structure‐function relationships of LAC are elaborated. These results highlight that modification technologies play a special role in altering the properties and defining the functionalities of LAC, which could be a promising porous carbon material toward industrial applications. Green carbon: In this Review, the emerging modification technologies of lignin‐based activated carbon (LAC) are summarized toward advanced applications. The effects of these modification approaches on the porous structure and surface functional groups of LAC are elucidated. Advanced applications of LAC are introduced with in‐depth understanding of mechanistic structure–function relationships between LAC and its derived functional materials.