Harnessing scatter radiation for sustainable energy: Coconut shell-based activated carbon electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors in radiology applications

Abstract

This study investigates the potential of activated charcoal derived from coconut shells as a sustainable material for absorbing and storing charges collected from scatter radiation, enabling the development of supercapacitors for green energy generation. As a byproduct of agriculture, coconut shells are presented here as an inexpensive, abundant, and innovative green resource for producing high-surface-area activated carbon, which is well-suited for high-performance supercapacitor electrodes. This approach supports one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by offering a cost-effective, reliable, and sustainable solution for existing energy technologies. The production of activated carbon from biomass involves carbonization and activation processes using a one-step integrated microwave pyrolysis system followed by a vacuum furnace. Electrochemical tests indicated that the capacitive performance of the coconut shell-based activated charcoal electrode (CSAC electrode) improved significantly after irradiation, as compared to before, with specific capacitance values of 62.63 F g−1 and 6.655 F g−1, respectively. After irradiation, activated carbon derived from coconut shells absorbed additional charges from scatter radiation, retaining its strong capacitive performance at 62.63 F g−1. An increase in the irradiation time of the CSAC electrode leads to a greater voltage, longer duration for brightness, and extended time for discharge. This signifies that the irradiated electrode is more efficient in accumulating charges than its non-irradiated counterpart. These results indicate that the supercapacitor developed in this work is capable of capturing charges from both primary and scatter radiation and, hence, can be particularly suited for use in high-performance supercapacitors where scatter radiation is prominent, as in radiology and radiotherapy centers.