Rubber-based carbon electrode materials derived from dumped tires for efficient sodium-ion storage

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Sustainable Energy

Background:

• Developing sustainable and cost-effective electrode materials is crucial for advancing sodium-ion battery technology.
• Recycling waste materials like dumped tires presents an opportunity for creating valuable resources for energy storage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare a novel carbon composite material decorated with zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles from recycled tire rubber.
• To evaluate the performance of this composite as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries.
• To demonstrate a sustainable method for waste tire valorization.

Main Methods:

• Pyrolysis of rubber powder from dumped tires to create a carbon composite.
• In situ generation and decoration of ZnS nanoparticles within the carbon matrix.
• Electrochemical testing of the composite as an anode in sodium-ion batteries, including capacity retention and rate capability assessments.

Main Results:

• The carbon composite material exhibited high reversible capacity and excellent rate capability when used as an anode.
• A notable capacity of 267 mA h g-1 was maintained after 100 cycles at a current density of 50 mA g-1.
• The presence of well-dispersed ZnS nanoparticles significantly improved the electrochemical performance.

Conclusions:

• Carbon composites derived from recycled tire rubber, decorated with ZnS nanoparticles, are promising low-cost electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries.
• This approach offers an effective strategy for reusing dumped tires and contributes to sustainable waste management.
• The developed material holds potential for large-scale energy storage applications.