A review on cellulose-based derivatives and composites for sustainable rechargeable batteries

Batteries have become an integral part of today's life and are presented as the most appropriate approach for energy storage; however, the environmental impacts of their vast usage need to be considered. Therefore, it is essential to incorporate eco-friendly materials to design batteries. Cellulose, the most abundant natural polymer, comprises excellent physical, mechanical, and chemical properties. It presents a broad group of functional materials ranging from macro to nanoscale composites that exhibit their potential in energy-related fields. This review provides a comprehensive summary of structural features, the influence of cellulose-based materials on electrochemical performance, and potential applications of cellulose derivatives as separators, electrolytes, binders, and electrodes in advanced energy storage devices, including sodium-ion, zinc-ion, lithium-ion, and lithium-sulfur batteries and gives an insight of the effects of derivatization on application and electrochemical performance of batteries. This review aims to comprehensively understand the vast applications of cellulose derivatives as vital parts of batteries. At last, an outlook of the current issues and future challenges for applications of cellulose-based materials in batteries is presented.