Excellent Diffusive Performance of Cold-Plasma-Exposed Activated Peanut Shell Carbon as an Electrode in Al-Air Batteries

Abstract

Modern energy and ecological sustainability can be accomplished in part, by using activated bio char-based electrodes made from biomass waste in energy-producing devices like metal-air batteries and fuel cells. Herein, a simple method of combining Pyrolysis graphitization with DC glow discharge plasma is used to create highly disorder carbonaceous materials incorporating surface functional groups from a readily available and inexpensive bio waste of peanut shells. The synthesized activated Peanut shell carbon material displays remarkable supercapacitance performance in 2 M KOH at elevated specific capacitances (537 Fg−1 at 10 mVs−1) and catalytic ability for the oxygen reduction response at a half-wave peak of 0.19 V. Water contact angle and dispersion studies showed a considerable improvement in the surface’s hydrophilic following plasma treatment, and FTIR and Raman spectroscopy were also used to evaluate the surface’s functional group and micro structure. In this study, a simple, affordable, and environmentally friendly method for making activated dis ordered carbon is revealed. It is then investigated as a potential electrode for supercapacitor, metal air battery, fuel cell applications.