Sustainable Synthesis of Porous Biomass-Derived Carbon from Tecoma capensis for High Performance Supercapacitors: Characterization and Electrochemical Evaluation

Abstract

Biowaste carbon products possess interesting physico-chemical properties and are cost-effective due to their remarkable characteristics. Biomass carbon derived from Tecoma capensis (TCL) was processed using pyrolysis at a controlled temperature in an eco-friendly, innovative and sustainable way to develop biomass-derived carbon material. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the facile synthesis of porous carbon compounds from biowaste and evaluate their use in supercapacitors. Various analytical methods, such as structural analysis, morphological studies and electrochemical studies, have been employed to characterize the carbon material generated from biomass. Electrochemical performance evaluation was conducted through cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge studies utilizing 1 M H2SO4 and 1 M KOH aqueous electrolyte, which exhibited a specific capacitance of 238 F g-1. The outcomes of the studies suggested that the eco-friendly, straightforward process can be utilized to prepare biomass carbon for the electrochemical energy storage applications in an efficient and sustainable manner.