Biomass-nanoarchitected silicon-carbon composites for advanced electrochemical supercapacitors

Publication Type

Journal Article

Publication Date (Issue Year)

2026

Journal Name

Next Research

Abstract

Due to the increasing requirement for high-performance and environmentally friendly energy storage devices, extensive research has focused on the development of improved electrode materials for Supercapacitors. Conventional carbon electrodes, even with remarkable power density and cycling life, are often restricted in energy density, and silicon electrodes, which have been considered as an alternative, experience low conductivity and volume expansion. To mitigate these issues, recent studies have focused on integrating silicon with carbon-based matrices to leverage the synergistic benefits of both components. This study reports the sustainable synthesis and characterization of Si–C composites with varying Si: C ratios (9:1, 8:2, 7:3), prepared via alkali/acid silica extraction, magnesiothermic reduction, and low-temperature carbonization techniques. Structural (XRD, FTIR, Raman), morphological (SEM/EDS), and textural (N₂ sorption) analyses reveal the hybrid porous architecture, which is proven by CV/GCD/EIS to be beneficial for the fast ion transport and high kinetics, for which Si–C (8:2) shows the best trade-off between capacitance and resistance. The Si-C (8:2) composite showed excellent performance with a BET surface area of 120.50 m²/g, with specific capacitance of 467.57 F/g at 1A/g, energy density of 405.88 Wh kg⁻¹, and power density of 1307.54 W kg⁻¹, surpassing previously reported Si–C electrodes. The lowest solution resistance (13.23Ω) as well as Warburg impedance (414.21Ω) values were also reported for the Si-C(8:2) composites. The results demonstrate that interfacial and hierarchical engineering of biomassderived Si–C composites can bridge the performance gap between batteries and conventional supercapacitors, offering a sustainable pathway for next-generation energy storage systems

Keywords

Silicon-carbon composite, Biomass valorization, Electrochemical supercapacitors, Electrodes, Energy storage

Rsif Scholar Name

Victoria Adetomilola Fafure

Rsif Scholar Nationality

Nigeria

Cohort

Cohort 3

Thematic Area

ICTs Including Big Data and Artificial Intelligence; Minerals, Mining and Materials Engineering

Africa Host University (AHU)

Kenyatta University (KU), Kenya

Funding Statement

We wish to thank Partnership for Applied Sciences, Engineering, and Technology (PASET)-Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) for the support of this study.

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