From waste to wealth: spent batteries, biomass waste and mining tailings for sustainable supercapacitors

• Grant number: 25/11734-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: January 01, 2026
• End date: December 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Lucas Fugikawa Santos
• Grantee: Lucas Fugikawa Santos
• Principal researcher abroad: Francesca De Giorgio
• Institution abroad: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) , Italy
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas (IGCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Rio Claro
• Associated researchers: Alessio Mezzi ; Carlos Frederico de Oliveira Graeff ; CHIARA DIONIGI ; Daniel Angeli de Moraes ; Daniela Caschera ; Elaine Cristina Paris ; João Vitor Paulin ; Marco Natali ; Rafaela da Silveira Andre ; Roberta G Toro ; Simone Quaranta

Abstract

This research project aims to develop sustainable supercapacitors (SCs) using exclusively secondary raw materials (SRMs) from waste. The project methodology focuses on three main pillars: firstly, the recovery of manganese oxide (MnOx) from discarded alkaline and zinc-carbon batteries, through efficient and low-energy hydrometallurgical processes. Secondly, the synthesis of high-performance carbon materials from biomass waste, such as sawdust, converted into biochar by pyrolysis and activation. Finally, the project includes the development of environmentally friendly separator membranes made of polymer blends such as PCL, PMMA and PS, enriched with silica recovered from mining tailings, using the blow spinning technique for greater efficiency and lower cost. It is expected to develop easily recyclable components for next-generation supercapacitors, targeting a specific and areal capacitances above, respectively, 100 F/g and 0.5 F/cm², which contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and circular economy principles. (AU)