As modern lifestyles have become increasingly indoor oriented, porous carbon materials have been extensively investigated as electrode materials for energy storage devices such as electric double layer capacitors (EDLCS) as well as adsorbents for indo...
As modern lifestyles have become increasingly indoor oriented, porous carbon materials have been extensively investigated as electrode materials for energy storage devices such as electric double layer capacitors (EDLCS) as well as adsorbents for indoor air purification. Coconut–derived activated carbons are predominantly employed in these applications however their strong dependence on imported raw materials together with continuously increasing demand has led to limitations in supply stability. Accordingly, the development of alternative porous carbon precursors capable of replacing coconut–derived activated carbons is required.
In this study, activated carbon fibers were derived from discarded waste cotton fibers and investigated for electrochemical and volatile organic compounds (VOCS) adsorption applications. The cotton–derived activated carbon fibers (CACF) were prepared via a physical activation process, while chemical stabilizing agents were selectively applied depending on the target application. For electrochemical applications, citric acid was employed as a chemical stabilizing agent to promote micropore development favorable for EDLCS performance. The electrochemical characteristics were evaluated using a 1 M DMPBF4/ACN electrolyte by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD) measurements.
For VOCS adsorption applications, diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAP) was applied as a chemical stabilizing agent to enhance the specific surface area. The textural properties of the CACF were analyzed using BET, BJH, and NLDFT models based on N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms at 77K, and the crystal structures were characterized by X–ray diffraction. The VOCS adsorption behavior was evaluated through breakthrough experiments.
The results demonstrate that CACF exhibit potential as multifunctional porous carbon materials for both EDLCS electrodes and indoor VOCS adsorption, suggesting a sustainable alternative to conventional coconut–derived activated carbons.