Carbon electrode material for electrochemical cells and method of making same

A method of fabricating an amorphous carbon material for use as an electrode in a rechargeable electrochemical cell, said method comprising the steps of:

• heating, in a first heating step, a lignin material until it has fully cured;
• comminuting the lignin material before it has carbonized;
• heating, in a second heating step subsequent to the comminuting step, the lignin material until it has carbonized to produce the amorphous carbon material;
• and
• using the amorphous carbon material to form the electrode without comminuting the amorphous carbon material after the second heating step.

An amorphous carbon material for use as an electrode in a rechargeable electrochemical cell, the amorphous carbon material fabricated by a method comprising the steps of:

• heating, in a first heating step, a lignin material until it has fully cured;
• comminuting the lignin material before it has carbonized;
• and
• heating, in a second heating step subsequent to the comminuting step, the lignin material until it has carbonized.

An electrode for a rechargeable electrochemical cell, the electrode comprising an amorphous carbon material fabricated using a method comprising the steps of:

• heating, in a first heating step, a lignin material until it has fully cured;
• comminuting the lignin material before it has carbonized;
• and
• heating, in a second heating step subsequent to the comminuting step, the lignin material until it has carbonized into the amorphous carbon material.