Open Access
Article
Hierarchical Porous Carbon-Carbon Dot Architecture as a High Energy Density Cathode for Lithium-Metal Capacitors
Gayathry Ganesh1, 2
Gokul Raj Deivendran3
Vaishak Sunil1, 2
Izan Izwan Misnon1, 2
Chun Chen Yang3, 4
Rajan Jose1, 2, 3, *
Author Information
Submitted: 8 Dec 2024 | Revised: 19 Mar 2025 | Accepted: 24 Mar 2025 | Published: 26 Mar 2025

Abstract

Hybrid devices such as lithium-metal capacitors (LMC) are in rising demand and can simultaneously meet the requirements of energy storage devices with superior specific energy and high specific power. LMCs combine a lithium anode with high specific energy and an activated carbon cathode with high specific power. Biomass-derived porous carbon (BC) is an ideal candidate as cathode material and stands out for its tuneable porosity, sustainability, and low cost. However, the inherent limitations of BC in delivering optimal electrochemical performance necessitate using additives with superior electronic conductivity. In this study, we introduce functionalized carbon quantum dots (f-CDs), synthesized from biomass, as an effective additive to enhance the performance of BC. The physicochemical and electrochemical figures of merit of BC integrated with 7 wt.% f-CDs (BC@f-CD) were systematically compared with BC modified with 0.4 wt.% single walled carbon nanotube (BC@s-CNT). Electrochemical evaluations revealed that BC@f-CD exhibited a superior specific capacitance of approximately 191 F·g−1 within a 2–4.3 V voltage window. The nano-sized dimensions and functional groups of f-CDs significantly improved performance, enabling a remarkable 111% increase in specific energy. Additionally, BC@f-CD demonstrated excellent cycling stability, retaining ~86% of its initial capacity after 5000 cycles, outperforming traditional lithium-metal batteries. This study underscores the potential of f-CDs as a cost-effective and efficient alternative additive to s-CNTs that can enhance the performance of LMCs, providing a sustainable solution for advanced energy storage applications. 

Graphical Abstract

References

Share this article:
Graphical Abstract
How to Cite
Ganesh, G., Deivendran, G. R., Sunil, V., Misnon, I. I., Yang, C. C., & Jose, R. (2025). Hierarchical Porous Carbon-Carbon Dot Architecture as a High Energy Density Cathode for Lithium-Metal Capacitors. Materials and Sustainability, 1(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.53941/matsus.2025.100007
RIS
BibTex
Copyright & License
article copyright Image
Copyright (c) 2025 by the authors.

This work is licensed under a This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

scilight logo

About Scilight

Contact Us

Suite 4002 Level 4, 447 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
General Inquiries: info@sciltp.com
© 2025 Scilight Press Pty Ltd All rights reserved.