Investigation on the Potential of Various Biomass Waste for the Synthesis of Carbon Material for Energy Storage Application

Brenda Ai-Lian Lim, Steven Lim, Yean Ling Pang, Siew Hoong Shuit, Kam Huei Wong and Jong Boon Ooi
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Brenda Ai-Lian Lim: Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Jalan Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
Steven Lim: Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Jalan Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
Yean Ling Pang: Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Jalan Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
Siew Hoong Shuit: Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Jalan Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
Kam Huei Wong: Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Jalan Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
Jong Boon Ooi: Mechanical Engineering Discipline, School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: The metal–air battery (MAB) has been a promising technology to store energy, with its outstanding energy density, as well as safety features. Yet, the current material used as air cathode is costly and not easily available. This study investigated a few biomass wastes with good potential, including the oil palm empty fruit bunch and garlic peel, as well as the oil palm frond, to determine a sufficiently environmentally-safe, yet efficient, precursor to produce carbon material as an electro-catalyst for MAB. The precursors were carbonized at different temperatures (450, 600, and 700 °C) and time (30, 45, and 60 min) followed by chemical (KOH) activation to synthesize the carbon material. The synthesized materials were subsequently studied through chemical, as well as physical characterization. It was found that PF presented superior tunability that can improve electrical conductivity, due to its ability to produce amorphous carbon particles with a smaller size, consisting of hierarchical porous structure, along with a higher specific surface area of up to 777.62 m 2 g −1 , when carbonized at 600 °C for 60 min. This paper identified that PF has the potential as a sustainable and cost-efficient alternative to carbon nanotube (CNT) as an electro-catalyst for energy storage application, such as MAB.

Keywords: metal–air battery; carbon particles; biomass waste; electro-catalyst (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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