Source: TH
Context: Researchers at the Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, have developed a method to create eco-friendly supercapacitors using activated carbon derived from coconut husks, a prevalent agricultural waste in Kerala.
What are supercapacitors?
Supercapacitors, also known as ultracapacitors or electrochemical capacitors, are energy storage devices that store electrical energy via electrostatic charge separation at the interface between electrode and electrolyte. Unlike traditional capacitors, they can store much larger amounts of charge per unit volume and have the ability to charge and discharge rapidly. They complement batteries by providing bursts of power and extending battery life.
This new biowaste-derived activated carbon offers sustainable and efficient solutions for high-performance supercapacitors due to its availability, low cost, and environmentally friendly properties. The innovative microwave-assisted production method, developed at the college’s Centralised Common Instrumentation Facility (CCIF), produces high-quality activated carbon quickly and efficiently, making it suitable for various applications including energy storage.
