title: Activated carbons from KOH-activation of argan (Argania spinosa) seed shells as supercapacitor electrodes.
abstract: Activated carbons were prepared by KOH-activation of argan seed shells (ASS). The activated carbon with the largest surface area and most developed porosity was superficially treated to introduce oxygen and nitrogen functionalities. Activated carbons with a surface area of around 2100 m(2)/g were obtained. Electrochemical measurements were carried out with a three-electrode cell using 1M H(2)SO(4) as electrolyte and Ag/AgCl as reference electrode. The O-rich activated carbon showed the lowest capacitance (259 F/g at 125 mA/g) and the lowest capacity retention (52% at 1A/g), due to surface carboxyl groups hindering electrolyte diffusion into the pores. Conversely, the N-rich activated carbon showed the highest capacitance (355 F/g at 125 mA/g) with the highest retention (93% at 1A/g), due to its well-developed micro-mesoporosity and the pseudocapacitance effects of N functionalities. This capacitance performance was among the highest reported for other activated carbons from a large variety of biomass precursors.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Abdelhakim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elmouwahidi
authors.forename: Zulamita
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zapata-Benabithe
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carrasco-Marín
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moreno-Castilla
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D004566:Electrodes; D006878:Hydroxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D017680:Potassium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D029632:Sapotaceae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000196:embryology; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D006878:Hydroxides; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D002244:Carbon; C029943:potassium hydroxide