Preparation of Orange Peel Based Activated Carbons as Cathodes in Lithium Ion Capacitors

Abstract

In this work, activated carbon was prepared from Indonesian local orange peel using ZnCl2 activation method at various chemical ratios. The structural and morphological characteristics of orange peel based activated carbons were investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM), Brunaeuer-Emmett-Teller surface analyzer. The highest surface area was estimated as 1200 m2g-1, obtained by the mass ratio of 1:2 (biomass : ZnCl2). The obtained carbon samples were then tested as cathodes in Lithium Ion Capacitors. Electrochemical measurement was examined by half cell configuration, using 1 M LiPF6 in EC/EMC/DMC solution (1:1:1 v/v) as electrolyte and Li metal as reference electrode. From cyclic voltammetry (CV) test, it was shown that orange peel based activated carbon demonstrated a stable electrochemical characteristics, with specific capacitance of 56 Fg-1 measured at scan rate of 1 mVs-1 under cut-off voltages between 2.5 and 4 V.