Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Activated carbon derived from tree bark biomass with promising material properties for supercapacitors

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Activated carbon from tree bark (ACB) has been synthesized by a facile and environmentally friendly activation and carbonization process at different temperatures (600, 700 and 800 °C) using potassium hydroxide (KOH) pellets as an activation agent with different mass loading. The physicochemical and microstructural characteristics of the as-obtained material revealed interconnected microporous/mesoporous architecture with increasing trend in specific surface area (SSA) as carbonization temperatures rises. The SSA values of up to 1018 m2 g−1 and a high pore volume of 0.67 cm3 g−1 were obtained. The potential of the ACB material as suitable supercapacitor electrode was investigated in both a three and two-electrode configuration in different neutral aqueous electrolytes. The electrodes exhibited electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) behaviour in all electrolytes with the Na2SO4 electrolyte working reversibly in both the negative (−0.80 V to −0.20 V) and positive (0.0 V to 0.6 V) operating potentials. A specific capacitance (C s ) of up to 191 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 was obtained for the optimized ACB electrode material in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. A symmetric device fabricated exhibited specific C s of 114 F g−1 at 0.3 A g−1 and excellent stability with a coulombic efficiency of a 100 % after 5000 constant charge–discharge cycles at 5.0 A g−1 and a low capacitance loss for a floating time of 70 h.

ᅟ

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Sun Y, Wu Q, Shi G (2011) Graphene based new energy materials. Energy Environ Sci 4:1113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ghoniem AF (2011) Needs, resources and climate change: clean and efficient conversion technologies. Prog Energy Combust Sci 37:15–51

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Patel MR (2005) Wind and solar power systems: design, analysis, and operation. CRC Press

  4. Miller JR, Outlaw RA, Holloway BC (2010) Graphene double-layer capacitor with ac line-filtering performance. Science 329:1637–1639

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Chmiola J, Largeot C, Taberna PL, Simon P, Gogotsi Y (2010) Monolithic carbide-derived carbon films for micro-supercapacitors. Science 328:480–483

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Wei L, Sevilla M, Fuertes AB, Mokaya R, Yushin G (2012) Polypyrrole-derived activated carbons for high-performance electrical double-layer capacitors with ionic liquid electrolyte. Adv Funct Mater 22:827–834

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Daffos B, Taberna PL, Gogotsi Y, Simon P (2010) Recent advances in understanding the capacitive storage in microporous carbons. Fuel Cells 10:819–824

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Simon P, Gogotsi Y (2013) Capacitive energy storage in nanostructured carbon-electrolyte systems. Acc Chem Res 46:1094–1103

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Miller JR, Burke AF (2008) Electrochemical capacitors: challenges and opportunities for real-world applications. Electrochem Soc 17:53–57

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Béguin F, Presser V, Balducci A, Frackowiak E (2014) Carbons and electrolytes for advanced supercapacitors. Adv Mater 26(2219–51):2283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Conway BE, Birss V, Wojtowicz J (1997) The role and utilization of pseudocapacitance for energy storage by supercapacitors. J Power Sources 66:1–14

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Wei L, Yushin G (2012) Nanostructured activated carbons from natural precursors for electrical double layer capacitors. Nano Energy 1:552–565

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Simon P, Gogotsi Y (2008) Materials for electrochemical capacitors. Nat Mater 7:845–854

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lillo-Ródenas MA, Cazorla-Amorós D, Linares-Solano A (2005) KOH and NaOH activation mechanisms of multiwalled carbon nanotubes with different structural organisation. Carbon 43:786–795

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Chowdhury ZZ, Hamid SBA, Das R, Hasan MR, Zain SM, Khalid K, Uddin MN (2013) Preparation of carbonaceous adsorbents from lignocellulosic biomass and their use in removal of contaminants from aqueous solution. Bioresources 8:6523–6555

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Lillo-Ródenas MA, Cazorla-Amorós D, Linares-Solano A (2003) Understanding chemical reactions between carbons and NaOH and KOH: an insight into the chemical activation mechanism. Carbon 41:267–275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Yang K, Peng J, Srinivasakannan C, Zhang H, Xia H, Duan X (2010) Preparation of high surface area activated carbon from coconut shells using microwave heating. Bioresour Technol 101:6163–6169

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Zhi M, Yang F, Meng F, Li M, Manivannan A, Wu NN (2014) Effects of pore structure on performance of an activated-carbon supercapacitor electrode recycled from scrap waste tire effects of pore structure on performance of an activated-carbon supercapacitor electrode recycled from scrap waste tire. ACS Sustain Chem Eng 2:1592–1598

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Wei L, Yushin G (2011) Electrical double layer capacitors with activated sucrose-derived carbon electrodes. Carbon 49:4830–4838

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Stavropoulos GG, Zabaniotou AA (2009) Minimizing activated carbons production cost. Fuel Process Technol 90:952–957

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Divyashree A, Gurumurthy H (2015) Activated carbon nanospheres derived from bio- waste materials for supercapacitor applications—a review. RSC Adv 5:88339–88352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Abbas Q, Pajak D, Frackowiak E, Beguin F (2014) Effect of binder on the performance of carbon/carbon symmetric capacitors in salt aqueous electrolyte. Electrochim Acta 140:132–138

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Hong MS, Lee SH, Kim SW (2002) Use of KCl aqueous electrolyte for 2 V manganese oxide/activated carbon hybrid capacitor. Electrochem Solid-State Lett 5:A227

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Bichat MP, Raymundo-Piñero E, Béguin F (2010) High voltage supercapacitor built with seaweed carbons in neutral aqueous electrolyte. Carbon 48:4351–4361

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Zhang H, Zhang L, Chen J, Su H, Liu F, Yang W (2016) One-step synthesis of hierarchically porous carbons for high-performance electric double layer supercapacitors. J Power Sources 315:120–126

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Wang JG, Yang Y, Huang ZH, Kang F (2013) A high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor based on carbon and carbon–MnO2 nanofiber electrodes. Carbon 61:190–199

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Dyatkin B, Presser V, Heon M, Lukatskaya MR, Beidaghi M, Gogotsi Y (2013) Development of a green supercapacitor composed entirely of environmentally friendly materials. ChemSusChem 6:2269–2280

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Veeramani V, Madhu R, Chen SM, Veerakumar P, Syu JJ, Liu SB (2015) Cajeput tree bark derived activated carbon for the practical electrochemical detection of vanillin. New J Chem 39:9109–9115

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Koutcheiko S, Vorontsov V (2013) Activated carbon derived from wood biochar and its application in supercapacitors. J Biobased Mater Bioenergy 7:733–740

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Wang J, Song Y, Li Z, Liu Q, Zhou J, Jing X, Zhang M, Jiang Z (2010) In situ Ni/Al layered double hydroxide and its electrochemical capacitance performance. Energy Fuel 24:6463–6467

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Yang W, Gao Z, Wang J, Ma J, Zhang M, Liu L (2013) Solvothermal one-step synthesis of Ni-Al layered double hydroxide/carbon nanotube/reduced graphene oxide sheet ternary nanocomposite with ultrahigh capacitance for supercapacitors. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 5:5443–5454

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Barzegar F, Bello A, Fashedemi OO, Dangbegnon JK, Momodu DY, Taghizadeh F, Manyala N (2015) Synthesis of 3D porous carbon based on cheap polymers and graphene foam for high-performance electrochemical capacitors. Electrochim Acta 180:442–450

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Sun H, He W, Zong C, Lu L (2013) Template-free synthesis of renewable macroporous carbon via yeast cells for high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 5:2261–2268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Wei L, Tian K, Jin Y, Zhang X, Guo X (2016) Three-dimensional porous hollow microspheres of activated carbon for high-performance electrical double-layer capacitors. Microporous Mesoporous Mater 227:210–218

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Li H, Kang Z, Liu Y, Lee ST (2012) Carbon nanodots: synthesis, properties and applications. J Mater Chem 22:24230

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Bello A, Manyala N, Barzegar F, Khaleed AA, Momodu DY, Dangbegnon JK (2016) Renewable pine cone biomass derived carbon materials for supercapacitor application. RSC Adv 6:1800–1809

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Luo QP, Huang L, Gao X, Cheng Y, Yao B, Hu Z, Wan J, Xiao X, Zhou J (2015) Activated carbon derived from melaleuca barks for outstanding high-rate supercapacitors. Nanotechnology 26:304004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Mao Y, Duan H, Xu B, Zhang L, Hu Y, Zhao C, Wang Z, Chen L, Yang Y (2012) Lithium storage in nitrogen-rich mesoporous carbon materials. Energy Environ Sci 5:7950

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Sadezky A, Muckenhuber H, Grothe H, Niessner R, Poschl U (2005) Raman microspectroscopy of soot and related carbonaceous materials: spectral analysis and structural information. Carbon 43:1731–1742

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Malard LMM, Pimenta MAA, Dresselhaus G, Dresselhaus MSS (2009) Raman spectroscopy in graphene. Phys Rep 473:51–87

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Wang Y, Alsmeyer DC, McCreery RL (1990) Raman spectroscopy of carbon materials: structural basis of observed spectra. Chem Mater 2:557–563

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Jawhari T, Roid A, Casado J (1995) Raman spectroscopic characterization of some commercially available carbon black materials. Carbon 33:1561–1565

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Sze SK, Siddique N, Sloan JJ, Escribano R (2001) Raman spectroscopic characterization of carbonaceous aerosols. Atmos Environ 35:561–568

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Dippel B, Jander H, Heintzenberg J (1999) NIR FT Raman spectroscopic study of flame soot. Phys Chem Chem Phys 1:4707–4712

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Yao L, Yang G, Han P, Tang Z, Yang J (2016) Three-dimensional beehive-like hierarchical porous polyacrylonitrile-based carbons as a high performance supercapacitor electrodes. J Power Sources 315:209–217

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Ofomaja AE, Naidoo EB (2011) Biosorption of copper from aqueous solution by chemically activated pine cone: a kinetic study. Chem Eng J 175:260–270

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Xie K, Qin X, Wang X, Wang Y, Tao H, Wu Q, Yang L, Hu Z (2012) Carbon nanocages as supercapacitor electrode materials. Adv Mater 24:347–352

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Barzegar F, Momodu DY, Fashedemi OO, Bello A, Dangbegnon JK, Manyala N (2015) Investigation of different aqueous electrolytes on the electrochemical performance of activated carbon-based supercapacitors. RSC Adv 5:107482–107487

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Toupin M, Bélanger D, Hill IR, Quinn D (2005) Performance of experimental carbon blacks in aqueous supercapacitors. J Power Sources 140:203–210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Zhong C, Deng Y, Hu W, Qiao J, Zhang L, Zhang J (2015) A review of electrolyte materials and compositions for electrochemical supercapacitors. Chem Soc Rev 44:7484–7539

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Zhang C, Hatzell KB, Boota M, Dyatkin B, Beidaghi M, Lng D, Qiao W, Kumbur EC, Gogotsi Y (2014) Highly porous carbon spheres for electrochemical capacitors and capacitive flowable suspension electrodes. Carbon 77:155–164

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Fan Z, Yan J, Wei T, Zhi L, Ning G, Li T, Wei F (2011) Asymmetric supercapacitors based on graphene/MnO2 and activated carbon nanofiber electrodes with high power and energy density. Adv Funct Mater 21:2366–2375

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Randles JEB (1947) Kinetics of rapid electrode reactions. Discuss Faraday Soc 1:11–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Conway B (1999) Electrochemical supercapacitors: scientific fundamentals and technological applications. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Plenum Press, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  55. Bohlen O, Kowal J, Sauer DU (2007) Ageing behaviour of electrochemical double layer capacitors. Part I. Experimental study and ageing model. J Power Sources 172:468–475

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Bohlen O, Kowal J, Sauer DU (2007) Ageing behaviour of electrochemical double layer capacitors. Part II. Lifetime simulation model for dynamic applications. J Power Sources 173:626–632

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Saha D, Li Y, Bi Z, Chen J, Keum JK, Hensley DK, Grappe HA, Meyer HM, Dai S, Paranthaman MP, Naskar AK (2014) Studies on supercapacitor electrode material from activated lignin- derived mesoporous carbon. Langmuir 30:900–910

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Volperts A, Dobele G, Ozolins J, Mironova-Ulmane N (2015) Synthesis and application of nanoporous activated carbon in supercapacitors. Mater Sci Appl Chem 31:16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Ferrero GA, Fuertes AB, Sevilla M (2015) From soybean residue to advanced supercapacitors. Sci Rep 5:16618

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Wu ZS, Ren W, Wang DW, Li F, Liu B, Cheng HM (2010) High-energy MnO2 nanowire/graphene and graphene asymmetric electrochemical capacitors. ACS Nano 4:5835–5842

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Wu FC, Tseng RL, Hu CC, Wang CC (2005) Effects of pore structure and electrolyte on the capacitive characteristics of steam- and KOH-activated carbons for supercapacitors. J Power Sources 144:302–309

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Syarif N, Tribidasari I, Wibowo W (2013) Binder-less activated carbon electrode from gelam wood for use in supercapacitors. J Electrochem Sci Eng 3:37–45

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Ratajczak P, Jurewicz K, Béguin F (2014) Factors contributing to ageing of high voltage carbon/carbon supercapacitors in salt aqueous electrolyte. J Appl Electrochem 44:475–480

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Zhang L, Wang J, Zhu J, Zhang X, San Hui K, Hui KN (2013) 3D porous layered double hydroxides grown on graphene as advanced electrochemical pseudocapacitor materials. J Mater Chem A 1:904

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to specially thank Isbe VanDerWesthuizen for the results obtained from the TGA analysis. This work is based on the research supported by the South African Research Chairs Initiative of the Department of Science and Technology, Republic of South Africa and National Research Foundation of South Africa (Grant no. 97994). Any opinion, finding and conclusion or recommendation expressed in this material is that of the author(s) and the NRF does not accept any liability in this regard. D. Momodu and F. Barzegar would like to acknowledge financial support from the University of Pretoria for their post-doctoral study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Institute of Applied Materials, SARCHI Chair in Carbon Technology and Materials, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa

    Damilola Momodu, Moshawe Madito, Farshad Barzegar, Abdulhakeem Bello, Abubakar Khaleed, Okikiola Olaniyan, Julien Dangbegnon & Ncholu Manyala

Authors
  1. Damilola Momodu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Moshawe Madito
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Farshad Barzegar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Abdulhakeem Bello
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Abubakar Khaleed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Okikiola Olaniyan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Julien Dangbegnon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Ncholu Manyala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ncholu Manyala.

Electronic supplementary material

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Momodu, D., Madito, M., Barzegar, F. et al. Activated carbon derived from tree bark biomass with promising material properties for supercapacitors. J Solid State Electrochem 21, 859–872 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-016-3432-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-016-3432-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation