Activated Carbon Materials Research Articles

Indium Oxide Thick-Films Decorated with PdO and PtO2 Particles for Oxygen Detection in Humid Environments

Abstract Thick film indium oxide chemiresistive sensors decorated with PdO and PtO2 particles were investigated for oxygen detection under humid conditions (tested ranging from 20%- 80% RH) across a temperature range of 50 °C to 400 °C. The PtO2-decorated In2O3 sensors demonstrated a significantly higher response to oxygen, showing a 500% increase at 200 °C compared to the PdO-decorated sensors (response values of 41 and 8, respectively). Tests in dry air were conducted to assess the effect of humidity on sensor performance, revealing a maximum response of 74 for PtO2-In2O3 at 400 °C, more than three times higher than the response of 22 for PdO-In2O3. Selectivity tests confirmed that the sensors responded more strongly to oxygen than to interfering gases. The integration of an active carbon cloth (ACC) filter effectively reduced interferences from isobutylene and ethylene, enhancing sensor’s selectivity. A comparison of both sensors demonstrated that PtO2-decorated In2O3 has greater potential as an alternative to existing Pb-based electrochemical oxygen sensors, particularly in humid environments.

Iron-loaded activated carbon cloth as CDI electrode material for selective recovery of phosphate.

This study investigated the efficacy of oxidised iron-loaded activated carbon cloth (Fe-ACC) for selective recovery of phosphorous. The capacitive deionisation (CDI) technology was employed, for rapid removal of phosphate, with the aim of reducing the reliance on high alkalinity environment for the regeneration of Fe-ACC electrode. Multiple experimental parameters, including applied potential, pH, and co-existing ions, were studied. Additionally, the CDI system was tested on a real water matrix (Lake Ormstrup, Denmark) to elucidate the electrodes' performance on selective recovery of phosphate. About 69 ± 10% of the adsorbed phosphate were released at pH 12 via pure chemical desorption, which was ~ 50% higher than that at pH 9. The CDI system successfully demonstrated the selective removal of phosphate from the lake water. It reduced the concentration of phosphate from 1.69 to 0.49mg/L with a 71% removal efficiency, while the removal percentages of other anions, namely chloride, sulphate, bromide, nitrite, nitrate, and fluoride, were 10%, 7%, 1%, 1.5%, 4%, and 7%, respectively.

Preparation of microalgae-based carbon materials with Ni(OH)2 doping and their electrochemical performance

Supercapacitors are a new type of energy storage devices with many advantages. In this study a novel composite material named NiC were synthesized to improved their electrochemical performance in supercapacitors. It was composite of Ni(OH)2 and microalgae-based N-doped activated carbon materials. Activated carbon material prepared from defatted microalgae was excellent electrode material because of their nitrogen-rich characterization and porous structure. The Ni(OH)2 as a metallic material could provide considerable pseudo-capacitance for capacitors. In this study, Ni(OH)2 was successfully doped into carbon materials using a hydrothermal method at a temperature of 150 °C for 4 h. The flower-like structure of metallic materials was observed in SEM images and two forms of elemental Ni ions (Ni3+ and Ni2+) were detected in XPS. The porosity of the composite materials NiC was retained to some extent (specific surface area of 502 m2/g for sample NiC10). Moreover, the specific capacitance value of composite material NiC20 was increased by 190 % compared to its parent carbon material, indicating that the capacitive performance of the composite materials was significantly improved. The capacitance retention of NiC20//NiC20 in a two-electrode system was up to 75.29 % over 5000 cycles. This research will provide necessary information for high-performance electrochemical materials based on microalgae-based carbon materials.

Preparation of Tectona grandis Leaves derived Activated Carbon for High-Performance Supercapacitor Application

In energy-based applications, biomass porous micro/nanostructures activated carbon materials are the significant candidates, because of their high specific surface area, superior electrical conductivity, affordability and environmental friendliness. In this work, the activated carbon was prepared from Tectona grandis leaves as a biomass, and thus activated by 25% K2CO3 solution. The prepared carbon was designated as TGLAC. Second carbon was prepared from TGLAC was doped with urea and named as N-doped TGLAC. The physico-chemical analytical methods were employed to access the phase structure, bonding nature and morphological properties of the freshly prepared activated carbon material. Three electrode systems were utilized to estimate the supercapacitor features in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. The prepared activated carbon electrode provides a specific capacitance of 371 F g–1 at 1 A g–1 and a 62% rate capability at 5 A g–1. It retains 94% of its initial capacitance during the cyclic stability analysis at 5 A g–1 over 5,000 cycles. This study demonstrates that carbon based materials obtained from sustainable waste biomass can exhibit favourable electrochemical performance in energy applications, providing a clear and feasible synthetic approach and strategy for their utilization.

3D Graphene-like Carbon Structures from Poly(Acrylic Acid): A Novel Synthetic Route.

Emerging contaminants, such as the hormone 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE), in aquatic environments pose a serious risk to both human and environmental health, making efficient removal essential. This study evaluated the effectiveness of three-dimensional porous carbon structures derived from poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc, Carbopol 990) as adsorbents for removing EE from aqueous solutions. Activated carbon materials were prepared using varying ratios of KOH as an activating agent (PAAc:KOH; 1:0 AAC, 1:1 AC1, 1:2 AC2, and 1:3 AC3). Adsorption tests were conducted by adding 10 mg of the adsorbent to 40 mL of an EE solution (100 ppm, 20% acetonitrile in water). Analyses including TGA, XRD, and Raman spectroscopy were performed to evaluate the materials' structural properties and adsorption capacities. Among the materials, AC3 exhibited the highest adsorption capacity for EE (238 mg g-1), followed by AC2 (153 mg g-1) and AC1 (82 mg g-1). The superior efficiency of AC3 can be attributed to its larger surface area and pore volume, enabling greater interaction with EE molecules. These materials demonstrated higher adsorption capacities compared to commercial activated carbons and single-walled carbon nanotubes. This work opens new possibilities for developing efficient adsorbents, contributing to more effective and sustainable solutions for water purification and environmental protection.

CO2 methanation: a bibliometric analysis and review of activated carbon-based materials (2014–24)

Abstract This study highlights the significant potential of activated carbon (AC)-based materials in environmental remediation and energy production, particularly in converting carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2) into methane (CH4) and water (H2O) using transition metal-based catalysts. It emphasizes the role of porous AC in waste reduction and resource utilization, examining various applications of CO2 and evaluating environmental impacts. The research explores commercialization opportunities and specifically investigates CO2 methanation using AC-based materials. Using bibliometric analyses of 4196 articles from the Web of Science database, the study identifies a growing research interest in porous AC-related CO2 methanation from 2014 to 2024. The top three journals in this field are Environment Development and Sustainability, Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, and Journal of Environment Science and Pollution. However, there is limited inter-institutional collaboration in this field, suggesting room for development towards commercializing sustainable CH4 production pathways. CH4 is highlighted as a crucial intermediate in industrial processes, and research directions are identified through co-occurring author keywords analysis. The study suggests the need for a comprehensive approach integrating AC materials into carbon-neutral energy processes while addressing the potential adverse effects of AC nanoparticles on biological and environmental factors. Ultimately, it clarifies the potential uses and commercialization prospects for porous AC materials, especially in conjunction with carbon capture and utilization technologies, promoting sustainable practices in energy production and environmental management.

A Facile Two-Step Utilization of Sorghum Waste Derived Activated Carbon

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is an agricultural commodity that produces waste, including stems, during its cultivation. Sorghum stems can be used as an alternative precursor for forming activated carbon (AC) with a high surface area by utilizing ZnCl2 as an activator and followed by a pyrolysis process at 750 °C under N2 gas. In this study, AC from sorghum stems was sequentially used as an adsorbent for heavy metals in wastewater, as well as applied as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. From the characterization analysis, the synthesized AC has an amorphous structure, a high carbon content of > 90%, and a surface area of 1189 m2/g. AC was applied to adsorb 10, 50, and 100 ppm of metal cobalt (Co) at 30 °C. The adsorption isotherm and kinetics of metal Co showed an adsorption capacity of around 28.2 mg/g. The Langmuir isotherm model also describes Co adsorption and follows the pseudo-first-order equation. As for the Li-ion anode material, the ACs material is fabricated on a cylindrical battery with LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 as the counter cathode material. The specific discharge capacity results are 104 mAh/g at the voltage window of 2.7-4.3 V. The sequential utilization of sorghum stem-derived activated carbon can improve the product’s sustainability, and such an approach is promising to be applied in other biomass-based waste treatments.Keywords: Activated carbon, adsorption, battery, biomass, sorghum

Synthesis and characterization of activated carbon derived from agricultural waste (cocoa pod husks) as potential electrode for symmetric supercapacitor

Biomass waste of cocoa pod husks is adopted as starting material to synthesize Activated carbon (ACC) using a tube furnace via KOH activation with temperature ranging from 500 °C to 800 °C. The activated carbon prepared at 600 °C (ACC 600 °C) shows improved qualities than the other prepared samples, according to the physico-chemical analyses. A sponge-like morphology, amorphous structure, and microporous and mesoporous carbon are observed in the synthesized material. Trasatti approach is adopted to verify the storage mechanism of the activated carbon material (ACC 600 °C) with the percentage contribution of capacitive and diffusion-controlled effect as 92.4732% and 7.5268% for positive electrode while the negative electrode possesses 75.565% and 24.435% at scan rate of 50 mVs−1. A symmetric device is fabricated from the ACC 600 °C, which gives a maximum specific energy (S.E.) of 19 Wh kg−1 with a corresponding specific power (S.P.) of 453 W kg−1 at a specific current of 0.5 A g−1 in 2.5 M KNO3 solution. The coulombic efficiency of the device is 99.6% after 10000 cycles with 72% capacitance retention. The obtained results suggest that the activated carbon derived from cocoa pod husks could be used as a promising material for supercapacitor's application.

Molecular Simulation of Cyclohexane in Nanoporous Materials: Adsorption of Conformers and Coadsorption with Water and Carbon Dioxide.

Molecular simulation is used to investigate the adsorption of an organic molecule and its different conformers into various nanoporous adsorbents. In more detail, we perform grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations to determine the adsorption isotherms for cyclohexane with its three conformers (chair, boat, and twisted boat) at three different temperatures into a molecular model of active carbons and two metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) (Cu-BTC and Al-Fum). By considering the adsorption of each conformer separately, we show that the adsorption isotherms are weakly dependent on the molecular conformation. When considering the concomitant adsorption of the three conformers under realistic conditions (to verify the population of each conformer in bulk mixtures), we show that the chair conformer is predominantly adsorbed in each material. However, such favorable adsorption mostly reflects the fact that this conformer has the largest population in the bulk mixture under the same thermodynamic conditions. On the contrary, with an increase in the cyclohexane gas pressure, the adsorption of boat and twisted boat conformers increases, while that of the chair conformer decreases as packing (entropy) effects become predominant during confinement. The adsorption of cyclohexane in the active carbon and MOF materials is also considered in the presence of water and CO2 atmospheres. In the case of the Al-fumarate material, the material is found to be strongly organophilic so that water and CO2 adsorption are negligible, and cyclohexane adsorption is not affected by competitive adsorption under any considered thermodynamic condition. On the contrary, for the active carbon and Cu-BTC material, competitive adsorption between cyclohexane and water or CO2 is observed even if cyclohexane adsorption remains preferred. While the different molecules coexist in the adsorbed phase at low pressures, increasing the cyclohexane pressure beyond 103 Pa promotes cyclohexane adsorption concomitantly with water and/or CO2 desorption.

Facile fabrication of sulfur-doped porous carbon from waste sugarcane bagasse for high performance supercapacitors

Our research has led to a significant breakthrough in the field of energy storage. For the first time, we have prepared a series of highly porous sulfur-doped activated carbon derived from natural biomass sugarcane bagasse. The sulfur-doped waste sugarcane bagasse-derived activated carbon (WSC/S) possess a unique properties of large specific surface area (SSA) with high mesoporosity, better wettability, and numerous redox active dopant sites. These unique properties of WSC/S significantly enhance supercapacitor functionality. There are a large number of mesopores on the WSC/S, which shorten the ion diffusion path length and make their ion transport efficient. As the results of that the WSC/S achieved a high specific capacitance of 282.25 Fg−1 with a current density of 0.1 Ag−1 and excellent cycling stability with >96 % capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles in 6 M KOH electrolyte. We explored WSC/S as an anode material to fabricate an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device, where activated carbon cloth was used as a cathode. The ASC device showed an energy density of 43.26 Wh kg−1 with a power density of 0.1 kW kg−1 at a current density of 0.1 Ag−1, which is superior to that obtained for symmetric WSC/S//WSC/S supercapacitor. These performances indicate the potential of the WSC/S for high-performance energy storage systems.

High-voltage aqueous supercapacitors enabled by polysiloxane passivation coating-modified carbon cloth electrode

The voltage window plays a crucial role in determining the energy density of supercapacitors. The limited energy density of carbon-based supercapacitors poses a significant challenge to their widespread adoption. Here, we propose a novel approach to modify carbon cloth by implementing a polysiloxane (PSiO) passivation coating. This forms an ion-conductive and electron-insulating thin film on the surface, effectively impeding electron conduction from electrode surface to electrode/electrolyte interface and suppressing electrolyte electrolysis. Consequently, an expanded voltage window is realized, thereby enhancing the energy density of aqueous carbon-based supercapacitors. The carbon cloth electrode modified with the PSiO passivation coating (CC-A-KH560) exhibits exceptional electrochemical performance, with a significantly increased 78.6 % widened applicable potential range compared to the activated carbon cloth electrode (CC-A). In a two-electrode configuration, the voltage window is broadened from 0.8 V for CC-A to 1.4 V for CC-A-KH560, and the energy density based on CC-A-KH560 is 8 times that based on CC-A. The good stability and durability are also obtained for the firm C–O–Si bonds during PSiO modification. More importantly, this design provides a generic solution of PSiO passivation coating-modified carbon electrode, applicable for diversified silicane couple agents, to realize a high-voltage energy storage performance for aqueous supercapacitors.

Modification of activated carbon through chemical-physical activation method with KOH and 60Co gamma irradiation from banana leaf waste

Abstract Until now waste is still a problem in many big cities in Indonesia. In addition, the amount of waste increases as the population increases. Banana leaf waste is no exception, which is included in other types of waste, which accounts for 6.33% of the total waste in Indonesia in 2022. Utilization of banana leaf waste as a raw material for activated carbon production can also be an alternative to reducing the amount of wasted banana leaf waste because they contain various kinds of organic compounds. Activated carbon is widely used as an adsorbent in various sectors, especially in the industrial sector. Production of activated carbon must go through an activation process to enlarge the surface pores either chemically or physically, or even both. This study aims to compare the results of activated carbon surface area and functional groups using the chemical-physical activation method from banana leaf biomass raw materials with KOH and gamma irradiation at various doses. The research method used is an experimental method consisting of 4 stages: dehydration, carbonization, activation, and characterization. The research was started by dehydrating the leaves and continued with the carbonization stage at 350°C for 30 minutes. Carbon was divided into four samples that consisted of 1 blank and 3 test materials that activated with 30% (w/v) KOH solution for 24 hours and gamma-irradiated with a dose of 10, 30, and 50 kGy. Results were characterized using FTIR and BET. The effect of gamma 60Co irradiation on the activated carbon material from banana leaf waste can increase the peak transmittance value of the activated carbon functional group due to the formation and reaction of free radicals on its surface. Increase in the surface area (from 6.504 to 24.04 m2/g) is also associated with an increase in the absorbed dose due to the formation of more free radicals. However, the surface area obtained is not as expected due to the possibility of pore blockage and excessive activation time, which causes the surface area of the material to be small.

Making Activator Materials Active Carbon From Wedi Skin Salak (Salacca edulis Reinw) With ZnCl2 Activator as Adsorbent to Reduce Fenol Content

Making Activator Materials Active Carbon From Wedi Skin Salak (Salacca edulis Reinw) With ZnCl2 Activator as Adsorbent to Reduce Fenol Content. Wedi salak skin in Bojonegoro as an activated carbon material can provide an alternative for activated carbon manufacturing materials by utilizing environmentally friendly natural materials. The wedi salak skin is modified by treatment in the sun, in the roast, and in the oven in the manufacture of activated carbon which is then activated with ZnCl2 and then tested the adsorbs power of this salak skin activated carbon against phenol reduction. The adsorbent material that reduces the concentration of phenol the most is the roasted adsorbent material with a final phenol concentration of 2.15 mg/L so that the concentration of phenol absorbed is 297.85 mg/L at a mass of 1.5 g. The results of the analysis show that each variation of the activated carbon variation can reduce the concentration of phenol. The results obtained from this study are the type of activated carbon material whose highest absorption efficiency is the type of activated carbon material roasted at 99.28% with a mass of activated carbon of 1.5 g. Based on the results of the analysis, it can be seen that each variation of the type of activated carbon material will experience a decrease in concentration as the mass of the adsorbent increases. The greater the mass of the adsorbent, the adsorption ability will also increase. Each type of activated carbon material also experienced an increase in percent removal along with an increase in adsorbent mass. The results of research on the effect of activated carbon mass, also show that the adsorption capacity value decreases with increasing adsorbent mass. In this research data, the largest capacitance value was 112.87 mg/g at the smallest mass of 0.5g. The decrease in adsorption capacity is caused by the active side of the adsorbent that has not all bonded with the adsorbate.

Nickel doped tungsten disulfide grown on carbon cloth for flexible supercapacitors

We present the synthesis of flower-shaped nickel-doped tungsten disulfide on flexible activated carbon cloth (ACC) using a simple hydrothermal technique for flexible symmetric supercapacitors. The nickel-to-tungsten disulfide doping ratio is optimized by adjusting the mass ratio of nickel and tungsten disulfide (Ni:WS2 = 0.5:3, 1:3, and 1.5:3) to enhance charge storage capability, surface area, impedance behavior, specific capacity, and rate capability. The improved supercapacitor performance is attributed to the increased electrochemically active surface area, reduced impedance, and phase engineering from 2 H to 1 T achieved through optimal nickel doping. At a current density of 1 A g−1, the flexible symmetric supercapacitor device (Ni-WS2-ACC device) demonstrates a specific capacitance of 259.2 F g−1, an energy density of 22.4 Wh kg−1, and a power density of 803 W kg−1. Moreover, the Ni-WS2-ACC device maintains consistent supercapacitive performance under various bending conditions. These results present a promising strategy for further enhancing tungsten disulfide-based flexible supercapacitors as energy storage devices.

Superior cycle stability and enhanced pseudocapacitive performance of NiAl-LDH decorated carbon cloth for supercapacitor application

Pseudocapacitors, particularly using layered double hydroxides as cathode material, offers high-power capability and increased energy density, making them popular choices for energy storage devices. This study presents a unique porous structure featuring nickel aluminium layered double hydroxide (NiAl-LDH) deposited onto activated carbon cloth (CC) via a single-step electrochemical process. The NiAl-LDH@CC composite demonstrates exceptional pseudocapacitive capabilities with a specific capacitance of 5893.8 mF cm−2 at a current density of 0.7 mA cm−2 calculated from galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD) responses. An asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) is constructed using activated carbon cloth (CC) as anode and NiAl-LDH@CC as cathode. The as-built ASC device, with an operational voltage of 1.6 V, achieves a substantial specific capacitance of 310 mF cm−2 at a current density of 0.2 mA cm−2, along with a high energy density ∼51.67 μWh cm−2 and a power density ∼913.84 μW cm−2. An outstanding cycle stability is also observed with a retention rate of 90 % after 10000 continuous GCD cycles.

Unveiling electron transfer and radical transformation pathways in coupled electrocatalysis and persulfate oxidation reactions for complex pollutant removal

The degradation of multiple organic pollutants in wastewater via advanced oxidation processes might involve different radicals, of which the types and concentrations vary upon interacting with different pollutants. In this study, electrochemical activation of peroxymonosulfate (E/PMS) using advanced activated carbon cloth (ACC) as electrode was applied for simultaneous degradation of mixed pollutants, e.g., metronidazole (MNZ) and p-chloroaniline (PCA). 92.5 % of MNZ and 91.4 % of PCA can be degraded at the cathode and anode at a low current density and PMS concentration, respectively. The rate constants for the simultaneous removal of MNZ and PCA in the E/PMS/MNZ(PCA) system were 118 times and 6 times higher than those in the sole PMS system, and 2.5 times and 1.6 times higher than those in the E/Na2SO4/MNZ(PCA) system, respectively. Different electrochemical characteristics, EPR spectra and radical quenching tests verified that the degradation of MNZ and PCA in the optimal system proceeded primarily through non-radical-dominated oxidation, involving electron transfer and 1O2 effect. The system also exhibited low energy consumption (0.215 kWh/m−3·order−1), broad operational pH range, excellent removal efficiency for water matrix, and low by-products toxicity, indicating its strong potential for practical applications. The ACC, with its super stable, low cost, and electrochemical activity, make it as a promising materials applicable in the E/PMS system for degradation of multiple pollutants. The study further elucidated the mechanism of pollutant interaction with electrode materials in terms of radical and non-radical transformation, providing fundamental insight into the application of this system for treatment of complex wastewater.

An ultrafast, stable and highly reversible nickel magnesium vanadate cathode for magnesium ion batteries

Rechargeable magnesium batteries are one among the strongest candidates over lithium ion batteries with abundance, cost effective and less environmental hazard. However, limitations including slow Mg2+ ion kinetics in the electrode-electrolyte interface and formation of passivating layers on the surface of magnesium metal anode affecting the rechargeable behavior of a cathode. Herein, hydrothermally synthesized NiMg2(VO4)2 nanomaterial used as cathode. The oxidation and reduction properties of Mg and V facilitates the diffusion pathway for Mg2+ and Li+ ions. Additionally, the employment of activated carbon cloth as anode diminishes the strong ionic interactions between Mg2+ ions and crystal lattice, enabling the faster diffusion of Mg2+ ions. All the electrochemical investigations are carried out at room temperature in the potential window of 1.23 V to 3.83 V against Mg/Mg2+. At a lower current density of 100 mA g−1, the specific discharge capacity have been 220 mAh g−1 for the 2nd cycle and retention of 97.1 % over 25 cycles. The specific capacity increases with more Mg2+ involvement in the reaction. At the highest current rate of 5000 mA g−1 the capacity retention is 96.8 % after 1000 cycles. Calculated energy density for a low current density is 556 Wh kg−1. The presence of multivalent V ions in the cathode reduces volume expansion, assisting charge redistribution to maintain electroneutrality. The dynamic valence property of. Vanadium ions (V2+/V5+) assist the intercalation of Mg2+ ions into the crystal lattice of cathode and possibly contribute to the highly stable and reversible discharge capacity over cycles. These findings provide a new perspective on NiMg2(VO4)2 as cathode material for magnesium ion batteries.

Magnetic solid phase extraction of methiocarb pesticide from food samples prior to HPLC analysis with magnetic activated carbon cloth/zinc aluminate (magnetic ACC@ZnAl2O4) composite

Methiocarb is a carbamate pesticide and is widely used due to its short lifetime but is a health concern due to its toxicity. To address this challenge, a novel nano-sorbent (zinc aluminate hybrid doped onto a magnetic activated carbon cloth (magnetic ACC@ZnAl2O4)) was synthesized. The characterization of the composite was done using FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, XRD, and EDX. The synthesized composite was then employed for the efficient extraction of methiocarb from food samples. Under the optimum conditions of (pH: 7.0, vortex time: 0.5 min, adsorbent dose: 5 mg, initial volume of sample: 50 mL, volume of eluent: 1.0 mL), quantitative recovery values of methiocarb in food samples were obtained (80–114%). This method impresses with its exceptional sensitivity, achieving incredibly low detection (LOD: 20 µg L−1) and quantification (LOQ: 67 µg L−1) limits for methiocarb. Its efficiency is equally impressive, with high values of preconcentration factor (PF: 50) and enhancement factor (EF: 49.4), ensuring accurate and reliable analysis with a low value of relative standard deviation (RSD: 4.8%). The method’s impressive selectivity, evident in its minimal interference from other pesticides, paves the way for reliable methiocarb analysis in food samples.

Scalable Ni12P5-Coated Carbon Cloth Cathode for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

As a better alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) stand out because of their multi-electron redox reactions and high theoretical specific capacity (1675 mA h g−1). However, the long-term stability of LSBs and their commercialization are significantly compromised by the inherently irreversible transition of soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPS) into solid short-chain S species (Li2S2 and Li2S) and the resulting substantial density change in S. To address these issues, we used activated carbon cloth (ACC) coated with Ni12P5 as a porous, conductive, and scalable sulfur host material for LSBs. ACC has the benefit of high electrical conductivity, high surface area, and a three-dimensional (3D) porous architecture, allowing for ion transport channels and void spaces for the volume expansion of S upon lithiation. Ni12P5 accelerates the breakdown of Li2S to increase the efficiency of active materials and trap soluble polysulfides. The highly effective Ni12P5 electrocatalyst supported on ACC drastically reduced the severity of the LiPS shuttle, affected the abundance of adsorption–diffusion–conversion interfaces, and demonstrated outstanding performance. Our cells achieved near theoretical capacity (>1611 mA h g−1) during initial cycling and superior capacity retention (87%) for >250 cycles following stabilization with a 0.05% decay rate per cycle at 0.2 C.

A Comprehensive Evaluation of Biomass-Derived Activated Carbon Materials for Electrochemical Applications in Zinc-Ion Hybrid Supercapacitors

A Comprehensive Evaluation of Biomass-Derived Activated Carbon Materials for Electrochemical Applications in Zinc-Ion Hybrid Supercapacitors