Application of activated carbon energy storage

Can activated carbon be used for energy production and storage?

Here we review the use of activated carbon, a highly porous graphitic form of carbon, as catalyst and electrode for for energy production and storage. The article focuses on synthesis of activated carbon, hydrogen production and storage, biodiesel production, energy recovery, and the use of machine learning.

Can activated carbon be used for hydrogen storage?

Carbon materials such as activated carbon due to specific textural properties can play an important role in hydrogen storage based on the physisorption mechanism (Serafin et al. 2023). Kostoglou et al. (2022) scrutinized the feasibility of the polymer-derived activated carbon in hydrogen storage and supercapacitor energy storage.

Why is activated carbon important?

Recent advances in the application of activated carbon in different energy production and storage technologies highlight the leading role of activated carbon in tackling the environmental problems related to using fuels derived from unsustainable sources.

What are activated carbon fibers?

Activated carbon fibers (ACFs) are one of the most promising forms of carbonaceous nanoporous materials. They are most widely used as electrodes in different energy storing devices including batteries, capacitors, and supercapacitors. They are also used in gas diffusion layers, for electrocatalyst support and in bipolar plates of fuel cells.

How can activated carbon be engineered?

The textural properties and surface chemistry of activated carbon can be engineered using acid and base treatments, hetero-atom doping, and optimization of the activation conditions to improve the efficiency of renewable energy production and storage.

Can activated carbon be used as electrodes in energy-storage systems?

Among carbon materials, activated carbon due to its lower production cost, versatile surface chemistry, high surface area, and feasibility of activated carbon synthesis using waste materials has drawn tremendous attention in energy-storage systems as electrodes (Ayinla et al. 2019).