Efficient, sustainable, and clean energy storage in supercapacitors using biomass-derived carbon materials

Abstract

To resolve the issues related to energy production and environmental pollution, petroleum-based fuels must be replaced with sustainable and renewable energy sources. Unutilized biomass and waste materials produced during energy production can be effectively utilized to synthesize carbon materials for energy storage/ conversion devices, such as batteries, supercapacitors, solar cells, and fuel cells. This approach will further resolve the difficulties related to safe recycling of waste ingredients and also the consumption of fossil fuels. Combustion of waste materials or fossil fuels however creates anxieties related to environment protection. Supercapacitors are the most demanding among smart electronics as they possess high energy and high power density compared to batteries and fuel cells. In this chapter, a thorough discussion over synthesis and supercapacitive characteristics of carbon-based electrode materials derived from biomass/waste materials, such as human hair, waste coffee grounds, ginkgo shell, sugarcane bagasse, wood, banana, peel, fallen leaf, biological waste-stiff silkworm, leather waste, tea leaves, stiff silkworm, and waste paper, are presented. Carbon-based materials are considered as ideal electrode materials for supercapacitors as they usually have high surface area and good electrical conductivity, which provide low resistivity and short ion diffusion channel during electrochemical processing. The usages of biowaste in energy storage devices provide both recycling of waste as well as ecofriendly materials for energy storage.