Activated biochar derived from peanut shells as the electrode materials with excellent performance in Zinc-air battery and supercapacitance. (15th April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Qiao, Yu; Zhang, Chaoqi; Kong, Fantao; Zhao, Qingbiao; Kong, Aiguo; Shan, Yongkui
• Is Part Of: Waste management. Volume 125(2021)
• Page Start: 257
• Page End: 267
• Publication Date: 2021-04-15
• Subjects: Peanut shells -- Molten salt -- Oxygen reduction reaction -- Zinc-air battery -- Supercapacitance; Hazardous wastes -- Periodicals; Refuse and refuse disposal -- Periodicals; 363.728
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.02.057
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-053X

Abstract

Highlights: Biochar was prepared by pyrolyzing peanut shells in molten KCl and heat-treatment. PS-800-1000 displays better oxygen reduction catalytic activity than other biochar. PS-800-1000 has superior specific capacitance to all peanut shell-derived biochar. PS-800-1000-based zinc-air battery displays outstanding performances. Abstract: The use of activated biochar-based electrode derived from waste biomass in energy technologies, such as metal-air batteries and supercapacitors, is an important strategy for realizing energy and environmental sustainability in the future. Herein, peanut shells (waste biomass) were employed to prepare activated biochar materials by pyrolysis in molten KCl and heat-treatment. The effective dispersion and corrosion effects of molten salt for the pyrolysis products during pyrolysis obviously increase defects and specific surface area of the activated biochar materials. The prepared activated biochar material (PS-800-1000) by pyrolysis in molten KCl at 800 °C and heat-treatment at 1000 °C exhibits excellent catalytic activity with half-wave potential of 0.84 V vs. RHE, comparable to commercial Pt/C for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in 0.1 M KOH and outstanding supercapacitance performance in 6 M KOH with high specific capacitance (355 F g −1 at 0.5 A g −1 ), which exceeds all reported biochar derived from peanut shells. The PS-800-1000-based zinc-air battery (ZAB) displays higher peak power density (141 mW cm −2 ), specific capacity (767 mAh gZn -1 ) and cycling stability than Pt/C-based ZAB. The activated biochar prepared by pyrolysis in molten KCl and heat-treatment method from peanut shells can be a promising candidate for replacing precious metals in energy conversion/storage devices.