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Researchers Developed Eco-Friendly Supercapacitors
Context:
A team of researchers from a government college has successfully developed a groundbreaking method to produce activated carbon suitable for supercapacitor manufacturing.
- This method involves deriving high-surface-area activated carbon from coconut husk, which is a major agricultural residue in Kerala.
- It was produced using an innovative microwave-assisted method designed at the college’s Centralised Common Instrumentation Facility (CCIF).
Key Highlights:
Supercapacitors made with this material are four times more efficient than existing ones.
- Benefits: Eco-friendly, Cost-effective, Produced using a fast and efficient microwave-assisted method (minimal waste).
- Using an advanced microwave pyrolysis reactor, the team successfully produced high-quality carbon in just five minutes. This method effectively eliminates impurities such as ash and generates zero waste.
- An impressive surface area of 1,200 m² g⁻¹ and highly porous structures make it ideal for diverse applications. The device’s high-power output can sustain the operation of two LEDs for 20 minutes.
- This research opens up potential applications in water purification and sensor development and highlights its broader potential.
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Supercapacitors offer much higher capacitance and energy storage than normal capacitors, making them important for sustainable energy storage. However, finding the best electrode materials remains a major hurdle in optimising their performance.
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