Development of energy storage devices from agriwastes biomass

• Grant number: 24/09636-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Agreement: CONFAP - National Council of State Research Support Foundations
• Principal Investigator: Alcides Lopes Leao
• Grantee: Alcides Lopes Leao
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas (FCA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Botucatu
• Associated researchers: Ashantha Goonetilleke ; Lilian Vanessa Rossa Beltrami ; Marcelo Godinho ; Marielen Longhi ; Otavio Augusto Titton Dias ; Quan He ; Rafael Plana Simões

Abstract

Biochar, is a versatile and low-cost carbonaceous material, whencompared to other carbon materials, obtained by pyrolysis of differentbiomass, such as agro-industrial waste. Among the various applications in whichcan be used, Biochar has shown promise as a component inelectrodes for energy storage devices (batteries andsupercapacitors). In this research project we want to evaluate the potential applicationof Biochar obtained from different cellulosic waste as electrode insupercapacitors and batteries. To achieve this, Biochar will be obtained from the pyrolysis ofwaste of rice husk and sawdust from Eucalyptus wood, wasteabundant in the region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Afterwards, theBiochar will be modified through chemical and/or physical treatments aimed atimprove its surface and electrical conductivity properties. Odevelopment of electrodes containing the modified Biochar obtained will be carried outby the "slurry" technique and characterized in terms of its specific capacitance andcharge and discharge capacity through electrochemical measurements. The batteries andsupercapacitors will be tested on different battery testing devices such ascoin and pouch cell cells, in order to simulate real-world conditions and understandthe mechanisms from lower power energy storage devicesup to high power. The ultimate goal is to achieve specific performance standards thatcan validate the use of Biochar and nanoBiochar in batteries and supercapacitorscommercial sources, thus contributing to a more sustainable, low-cost energy sourcecost and with scalability potential. (AU)