Low-cost, high-performance supercapacitor based on activated carbon electrode materials derived from baobab fruit...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Sustainable Energy

Background:

• Developing cost-effective and sustainable electrode materials is crucial for advanced electrochemical energy storage.
• Biomass-derived carbons offer a promising alternative to traditional carbon sources due to their abundance and environmental benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize hierarchical porous activated carbons from baobab fruit shells (BFSs) using KOH and H3PO4 activation.
• To investigate the physicochemical properties and electrochemical performance of these derived carbons (BFSCs) for supercapacitor applications.

Main Methods:

• Hierarchical porous activated carbons were synthesized from BFSs via KOH and H3PO4 activation and carbonization.
• Characterization involved SEM, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, N2 adsorption/desorption, and XPS.
• Electrochemical performance was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Main Results:

• Two types of BFSCs were produced, exhibiting high specific surface areas and hierarchical porous structures.
• BFSC derived from H3PO4 activation showed a superior specific capacitance of 355.8 F/g at 1 A/g.
• Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors demonstrated a specific capacitance of 58.67 F/g and an energy density of 20.86 Wh/kg.

Conclusions:

• Baobab fruit shells are a viable precursor for producing low-cost, high-performance activated carbon electrode materials.
• The facile synthesis route offers a sustainable approach for electrochemical energy storage.
• These materials hold significant potential for next-generation flexible energy storage devices.