Biomass-derived activated carbons with extremely narrow pore size distribution via eco-friendly synthesis for supercapacitor application

Abstract Activated carbons (ACs) are promising materials for supercapacitor application. The production process is however still considered expensive and environmentally harmful due to using harsh chemicals under aggressive conditions. In this research, ACs have been prepared from rubber seed shell (RSS), durian shell (DS) and palm petiole (PP) via an eco-friendly self-activation method with KOH activating agent. The chemical, morphological and textural properties of the carbonaceous materials were studied using various characterization techniques: FTIR, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FESEM-EDS and BET. The electrochemical behaviors of the AC-based supercapacitor electrodes were examined by CV, GCD and EIS. The highest specific surface area (436 m2 g−1) and specific capacitance (178 F g−1) were obtained from PP and DS activated carbons, respectively. The high specific capacitance (Cp) of the DS activated carbon was attributed to its extremely narrow pore size distribution and the presence of excellent charge storage and charge transfer balance. The Cp values obtained are comparable to those reported in the literature; therefore, this study successfully demonstrated a better route to produce an AC-based supercapacitor electrode.