Abstract:
Lithium-ion capacitors are considered highly promising as a hybrid-type energy storage system and are suitable for largescale
energy storage applications because of their superior power and energy density as well as prolonged cycle life. In this
study, we developed an activated carbon (AC)-based electrode with excellent capacitive performance using salacca peel, a
native Indonesian fruit, as the carbon precursor. The AC was synthesized via hydrothermal treatment of salacca peel with
cerium (III) chloride (CeCl3) as the catalyst, followed by microwave-assisted chemical activation; the obtained sample was
denoted as AC–S–CE. The addition of CeCl3
during the hydrothermal carbonization facilitated the formation of micropores
in the AC; this resulted in a considerably greater surface area (1264.4 m²g‾¹) and a more defective graphitic structure than
that of AC synthesized in the absence of CeCl3
(AC–S, 988.9 m²g‾¹) and of commercially available AC (742.8 m²g‾¹). In
terms of being an LIC cathode, all the ACs exhibited a non-faradaic charge–discharge mechanism. AC–S–CE exhibited a higher capacitance of 90.6 F g‾¹ at 0.05 A g‾¹ and improved cycling performance compared with those of AC–S and commercially available AC.
