Abstract
Currently, there is increasing interest and effort directed to developing sustainable processes, including in waste management and energy production and storage, among others. In this research, corn cobs were used as a substrate for the cultivation of Pleurotus djamor, a suitable feedstock for the management of these agricultural residues. Revalorization of this fungus, as an environmentally friendly carbon precursor, was executed by taking advantage of the intrinsic characteristics of the fungus, such as its porosity. Obtaining fungus-derived porous carbons was achieved by hydrothermal activation with KOH and subsequent pyrolysis at 600, 800, and 1000 °C in an argon atmosphere. The morphologies of the fungal biomass and fungus-derived carbons both exhibited, on their surfaces, certain amorphous similarities in their pores, indicating that the porous base matrix of the fungus was maintained despite carbonization. From all fungus-derived carbons, PD1000 exhibited the largest superficial area, with 612 m2g−1 and a pore size between 3 and 4 nm recorded. Electrochemical performance was evaluated in a three-electrode cell, and capacitance was calculated by cyclic voltammetry; a capacitance of 60 F g−1 for PD1000 was recorded. Other results suggested that PD1000 had a fast ion-diffusion transfer rate and high electronic conductivity. Ultimately, Pleurotus djamor biomass is a suitable feedstock for obtaining carbon in a sustainable way, and it features a defined intrinsic structure for potential energy storage applications, such as electrodes in supercapacitors.
Highlights
IntroductionThe use of renewable and sustainable generation systems has continued to grow
In recent years, the use of renewable and sustainable generation systems has continued to grow
Fungus-derived hierarchical porous carbons were obtained through the use of agro-industrial waste as a substrate, and the subsequent treatment of the feedstock with a “green” hydrothermal activation methodology, which was pyrolyzed at different temperatures
Summary
The use of renewable and sustainable generation systems has continued to grow. The fast-growing demand for portable electronic devices and electric vehicles has increased the advancement of science and technology related to energy storage [1]. In this sense, electric double-layer capacitors, or supercapacitors, have attracted attention due to their high power density (>10 kWkg−1 ), fast charge/discharge cycles (within seconds), extremely long cyclic life (>105 cycles), high efficiency (>90%), low maintenance costs, etc. Supercapacitors contain four main parts: the electrodes, binder, electrolyte, and membrane. All these components have been investigated with the aim of improving the electrochemical performance of supercapacitors. Preparing electrode materials in an efficient and environmental way involves the use of renewable resources [1]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
