Radiation Induced Activated Carbon from Coconut Shell for Supercapacitor Application

Abstract

Abstract The challenge presented by fossil fuel energy usage and rising costs of energy storage materials has spurred the development of notably inexpensive and eco‐friendly materials for energy storage. In this situation, the activated carbon derived from coconut shells through a straightforward activation process served as the active material in electrodes for environmentally conscious supercapacitors. Advanced studies using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), and Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy have confirmed that the activated carbon produced through this method exhibits a graphitic phase. Electrodes fabricated from this activated carbon demonstrated a specific capacitance of 8.99 F g −1 in an aqueous electrolyte, utilizing expanded graphite sheets as the current collector substrates. Notably, when these electrodes were assembled with a polyethylene separator and used in a configuration that included charge collection from primary, scatter radiation, and electrolyte, they exhibited impressive storage capabilities and energy‐power handling capacities. Specifically, they achieved a specific capacitance of 16.46 F g −1 , an energy density of 0.57 W h g −1 , and a power density of 41.13 W kg −1 at a current density of 1 A g −1 . These high‐performance values were maintained even at 30 A g −1 , demonstrating the potential for broad applications in energy and power storage. After irradiation, the supercapacitor reached the specific capacitance of 72.56 F g −1 , an energy density of 2.52 W h g −1 , and a power density of 181.33 W kg −1 at a current density of 1 A g −1 . To our knowledge, this represents a novel method for creating supercapacitors using activated carbon, which is derived from scatter radiation, to enhance charge collection.