Effective use of an idle carbon-deposited catalyst for energy storage applications

Abstract

Global warming is primarily a problem of excessive carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere, which acts as a blanket, trapping heat and warming the planet. One of the inevitable reactions during syngas (SNG) production by the dry reforming reaction (DRR) of hydrocarbons is the deposition of carbon over the catalyst which can be eliminated as anthropogenic CO₂. This is the main obstacle for SNG production during the DRR, diminishes the performance of the catalysts and enhances the CO₂ formation which leads to global warming. In this study, for the first time, we present a novel approach to use the carbon-deposited catalyst formed during the DRR as an effective electrode material for supercapacitor applications. This disposable carbon-deposited catalyst shows ∼22 times higher capacity than the bare catalyst and acts as a positive electrode for asymmetric supercapacitors. The fabricated supercapacitor device works with an extended voltage of 1.6 V and exhibits an excellent electrochemical performance. Moreover, serially connected supercapacitor devices could power up various types of LEDs and UV light sensors.