Valorization of cellulose-doped lignin: application of cellulose-doped lignin-derived activated carbon in capacitors and investigation of its textural properties and electrochemical performance
Abstract This work provides an idea for efficient and harmless utilization of lignin and further evaluated the textural properties of lignin-derived activated carbon/specific capacitance relationship. The yield of cellulose-doped apricot shell lignin (ASLC) was 30.42%. H3PO4/KOH was used to assist the preparation of ASLC-derived activated carbon (AAC) for capacitors. The specific surface areas of the as-obtained AAC-P-3 and AAC-K-2 were 1475.16 m2/g and 2136.56 m2/g, respectively. The specific capacitances of AAC-P-3 and AAC-K-2 were 169.14 F/g and 236.00 F/g, respectively, upon the current density of 0.50 A/g. In capacitors containing aqueous KOH as the electrolyte, the AR2 (0.983) between specific surface area and specific capacitance was highest, followed by the AR2 (0.978) between Vmicro/Vmeso and specific capacitance, the AR2 (0.975) between pore-wall thickness and specific capacitance. Consequently, the specific capacitances of the AACs depend not only the specific surface area, but also on the Vmicro/Vmeso, pore-wall thickness, and Vmicro.