Utilizing rubber plant leaf petioles derived activated carbon for high-performance supercapacitor electrodes

This research introduces a novel and sustainable method that exploits the untapped potential of waste biomass, specifically converting dead leaf petioles from Ficus elastica, an industrial crop commonly known as rubber plants, into high-performance activated carbon (AC) for supercapacitor electrodes through a straightforward pyrolysis process. The prepared AC is used as an electrode substance to construct symmetrical supercapacitors. It underwent detailed morphological and structural analyses through various analytical instruments to assess the AC's performance and quality. Electrochemical assessments using a two-electrode configuration with 1 M KOH as the electrolyte revealed that the AC electrodes display exemplary characteristics of electric double-layer capacitance. This conclusion was drawn from observing cyclic voltammetry curves that were rectangular and symmetrical across scan rates ranging from 10 to 100 mV/s. Remarkably, at a scan rate of 10 mV/s, these AC electrodes achieved a specific capacitance of 128 F/g. The superior performance of the AC, when compared to other biomass-derived electrode materials, can be attributed to its extensive surface area and significant porosity. Moreover, electrodes crafted from AC derived from rubber plants showed remarkable durability over 10000 charge-discharge cycles, maintaining 89 % of their original capacitance and achieving a Coulombic efficiency of up to 87 %. During prolonged discharge periods, these electrodes exhibited a high specific capacitance, which contributed to achieving a power density of 200 W/kg and an energy density of 11.4 Wh/kg. This study highlights the viability of rubber plant waste in advanced energy storage systems and significantly contributes to sustainable material science. By offering an eco-friendly approach for supercapacitor electrode fabrication, this research aligns with global efforts towards sustainable energy storage technologies, demonstrating the practicality of environmentally benign materials in high-performance applications.