Preparation and characterization of hydrogen storage medium (IMO/TPAC) and asymmetric supercapacitor (IMO/TPAC‖TPAC) using imogolite (IMO) and biomass derived activated carbon from tangerine peel (TPAC) for renewable energy storage applications

Abstract

The blooming of renewable energy technology is magnificent in order to overcome the shrinking availability of fossil fuels and global warming. Hydrogen is considered the most prominent clean and green energy carrier. Hence, the present work focuses on the preparation and characterization of imogolite (IMO) clay and highly porous-natured activated carbon derived from the Tangerine Peel (TPAC) nanocomposite. SEM exhibits the IMO/TPAC nanocomposite reveals the presence of IMO embedded at the surface of TPAC. From the BET studies, there is a profound enhancement for the specific surface area of IMO/TPAC nanocomposite (1323 m2 g−1) compared to pristine TPAC (902 m2 g −1) and IMO (217 m2 g −1). A 6.3 wt% hydrogen storage capacity was achieved at 70 °C and the same (6.3 wt%) amount of hydrogen desorption was noticed at 108 °C for the IMO/TPAC nanocomposite. The electrochemical hydrogen storage of the IMO/TPAC electrode exhibits a hydrogen discharge capacity of 2573 mAh/g at 41st cycle with excellent columbic efficiency of 92.4%, capacitance retention of 86.2% and superior corrosion resistance of 20.3 mA/cm2. The fabricated ASC exhibits a maximum specific capacitance of 183 F g−1 and retains capacitance of 85.1% for 5000 cycles. The as-fabricated ASC has an excellent energy density of 125 Wh kg−1 and power density of 2634 Wkg−1 at a wide operating potential window of 2.1 V. This ASC could able to power blue and white LEDs. Hence, these excellent characteristics proved that the prepared nanocomposite may serve as an excellent energy storage material.