Fabrication of carbon electrodes from sago midrib biomass with chemical variation for supercapacitor cell application

Abstract

Activated carbon with high porosity and controlled pores structure are widely applied as supercapacitor electrodes biomass derived from sago midrib (PS). Activated carbon based on sago midrib without chemical agent and using chemical agent ZnCl2and NaOH by a concentration 0,5 M has been fabricated with a purpose to produce distribution of mesopores and micropores. Samples were carbonized at temperature 600? using N2gas followed by a physical activation process using CO2gas at temperature of 700°C. The highest mass loss percentage of carbon electrode PS-ZnCl2was 51,6% Microstructure analysis shows that amorphous structure for the activated carbon electrodes is shown by the presence of the peaks of 2θ around 240 and 440 with the highest Lcpresented by ZnCl2. SEM characterization showed the domination of mesopores and a few of micropores presented by ZnCl2. EDX characterization showed the highest atomic carbon percentage is 90,27%. Specific capacitance was determined by cyclic voltammetry method and found the highest in PS-ZnCl2was 138 F/g. The result from the physical and chemical properties, ZnCl2is the best chemical agent from biomass-derived sago midrib for the best performance of supercapacitor cells.