Synthesis of highly porous activated carbon nanofibers derived from bamboo waste materials for application in supercapacitor

Abstract

Sample activated carbon electrodes sourced from bamboo materials are synthesized using a combination of chemical and physical activation and applied in the production of supercapacitor cells. This study, therefore, focuses on the carbonization temperatures of 600 °C (BA-600), 700 °C (BA-700), 800 °C (BA-800), and 900 °C (BA-900). Subsequently, the physical properties of activated carbon were characterized, using thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET). All samples demonstrate highly porous carbon on the surface of the electrode. In addition, carbon fiber also presented in BA-700 and BA-800 samples had an average diameter of 0.17 µm and 0.06 µm. The electrochemical characteristics were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) method, and 800 °C was identified as the optimum temperature condition for carbonization. Conversely, the highest specific capacitance was demonstrated by the BA-800 electrode, which demonstrated a value of about 174 F g⁻¹, with high specific surface area of 1137.86 m² g⁻¹.