Kenaf-based activated carbon: A sustainable solution for high-performance aqueous symmetric supercapacitors

Thilageshwaran Subramaniam; M N M Ansari; Syam G Krishnan; Mohammad Khalid

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141593

Kenaf-based activated carbon: A sustainable solution for high-performance aqueous symmetric supercapacitors

Chemosphere. 2024 Apr:354:141593. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141593. Epub 2024 Mar 7.

Authors

Thilageshwaran Subramaniam¹, M N M Ansari², Syam G Krishnan³, Mohammad Khalid⁴

Affiliations

¹ Mechanical Engineering Department, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), 43000, Kajang, Malaysia.
² Mechanical Engineering Department, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), 43000, Kajang, Malaysia; Institute of Power Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang, 43000, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: ansari@uniten.edu.my.
³ Sunway Centre for Electrochemical Energy and Sustainable Technology (SCEEST), School of Engineering and Technology, Sunway University, No. 5 Jalan Universiti, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia. Electronic address: syamkrish82@gmail.com.
⁴ Sunway Centre for Electrochemical Energy and Sustainable Technology (SCEEST), School of Engineering and Technology, Sunway University, No. 5 Jalan Universiti, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia; Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka, India; Centre of Research Impact and Outcome, Chitkara University, Punjab, 140401, India. Electronic address: khalids@sunway.edu.my.

PMID: 38460854
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141593

Abstract

This study presents an innovative method for synthesizing activated carbon with an exceptionally high surface area (3359 m² g^-1) using kenaf fiber-based biochar through chemical activation. The achieved specific surface area surpasses activated carbon derived from other reported fiber-based precursors. The resulting activated carbon was investigated as electrodes for supercapacitors, revealing a remarkable maximum capacitance of 312 F g^-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g^-1. An aqueous symmetric supercapacitor employing these high-surface-area electrodes exhibited an outstanding energy density of 18.9 Wh kg^-1 at a power density of 250 W kg^-1. Notably, the supercapacitor retained exceptional capacitance, maintaining 93% of its initial capacitance even after 5000 charge-discharge cycles.

Keywords: Activated carbon; Chemical activation; Energy density; Kenaf fibre; Symmetric supercapacitor.

MeSH terms

Charcoal*
Electric Capacitance
Electrodes
Hibiscus*

Substances

Charcoal