Utilizing luffa sponge-derived porous activated carbon as a sustainable environmental bio-mass for renewable energy storage applications

Abstract

The advancement of sustainable technologies for producing green energy sources is essential, especially for energy storage and conversion methods that preserve ecosystems. A promising approach involves using low-cost, eco-friendly activated carbon derived from bio-waste materials, such as luffa sponge, for energy storage applications. This study details the preparation of activated carbon (LSAC) derived from luffa sponge through hydrothermal treatment followed by KOH activation at 400 °C, 600 °C, and 800 °C to optimize its properties. The biomass-derived carbon structural and morphological properties are analyzed, and these materials are used as electrodes to assess their electrochemical characteristics. According to cyclic voltammetry tests, LSAC-8 demonstrates a specific capacitance of 411.63 F g⁻ 1 at a current density of 1 A g⁻ 1 , exhibiting much lower electrochemical impedance than the other samples. LSAC-8 also demonstrates low internal resistance (1.25 Ω) and superb cycling stability over 2000 cycles, enhancing the electrochemical performance of biomass resources. Delivering a high energy density of 24.88 Wh kg −1 at a power density of 1230 W kg −1 in a PVA/KOH electrolyte, the LSAC-8-based symmetric supercapacitor demonstrates substantial commercial potential for high-efficiency supercapacitor technologies.