Animal waste and sea waste-derived materials for supercapacitors

Abstract

Global population growth has considerably raised the energy requirement. Along with the implementation of solar-, wind-, hydro-like renewable energy sources, its efficient and safer energy storage and conversion devices have become a necessary choice to protect the environment and continue the energy supply. Use of batteries, fuel cells and supercapacitors has been encouraged for the past few years. Several attempts have been made to improve such devices via alteration of electrode and electrolyte materials. However ongoing studies are putting efforts into making cost-efficient and process-friendly components such as binders, electrolytes and electrodes which are majorly used in such devices. In this context, use of biomass waste can contribute towards developing useful value-added materials to be used for such devices. Converting such waste materials to carbon-based electrode materials has been shown as a promising way in studies, as recycling and reuse of such waste can reduce numerous disposal problems. In this chapter, we will be specifically focusing on the potential usage of wastes such as sea waste and animal waste for supercapacitor components. We have mentioned several studies where this specific waste has been used, especially indicating the conversion method, their application, feasibility, cost-effectiveness and possibility of industrial-scale production.