Electrochemical energy storage and adsorptive dye removal of Platanus fruit-derived porous carbon

Abstract

Activated Platanus fruit carbon (a-PFC) was synthesized by pyrolytic carbonization and alkali activation treatment of an easily available biomass, Platanus fruit (PF). Carbonization yielded a Platanus fruit carbon (PFC) sample with a partially graphitized phase, and the following KOH activation created a highly porous texture containing a large fraction of micropores, and therefore a high specific surface area. Both of these factors are beneficial for surface-related applications such as electrode materials for electrochemical capacitors and adsorbents for the removal of organic dyes. A supercapacitor based on a-PFC₃, which was synthesized with a KOH : PFC activation ratio of 3, offers a high gravimetric capacitance of 216 F g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹, a high rate performance and an excellent cycling stability, highlighting the potential of a-PFC₃ in electrochemical energy storage. Its high specific surface area also makes a-PFC₃ an efficient adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution.