View in EDS

High-performance supercapacitor based on graphene derived from plastic waste using flash joule heating.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: High-performance supercapacitor based on graphene derived from plastic waste using flash joule heating.
Authors: Kumar, Subham1,2 (AUTHOR), Alexander, Rajath1,2 (AUTHOR), Kaushal, Amit1,2 (AUTHOR), Prakash, Jyoti1,2 (AUTHOR), Dasgupta, Kinshuk1,2 (AUTHOR) kdg@barc.gov.in
Source: Electrochimica Acta. Oct2026, Vol. 572, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
Subjects: Supercapacitors, Graphene, Sustainability, Plastic scrap, Energy storage, Polyethylene, Nanostructured materials
Abstract: • HDPE-FG delivers specific supercapacitance of 132.8 F g-1 at 0.3 A g-1 in 1 M KOH. • Specific supercapacitance of 102.5 F g-1 achieved at 0.3 A g-1 in 1 M H2SO4. • Conductive additive-free HDPE-FG electrodes show low resistance (RS≈ 1.43 Ω). • Flash graphene attains 1.14 Wh kg-1 energy density at 105 W kg-1 power density. • Flash Joule heating enables solvent-free conversion of plastic waste to graphene. This study employs flash joule heating (FJH) to efficiently synthesize turbostratic graphene from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic waste. Using a custom-built experimental setup, HDPE is transformed into graphene by rapid capacitive current discharge. The applied electrical current rapidly heats the precursors to temperatures exceeding 2500 °C within milliseconds. The resulting graphene's quality is evaluated using Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Raman analysis reveals a high I 2D /I G ratio (1.22) and a low I D /I G ratio (0.05) confirming minimal defects and high-quality graphene formation. A flexible electrode was fabricated using functionalized carbon nanotubes (FCNTs) as the current collector and HDPE-derived flash graphene (HDPE-FG) as the active material without using any external conductive additives. The HDPE-FG synthesized were tested in a three-electrode supercapacitor configuration where it achieved a specific capacitance of ∼132.8 F/g at in 1 M KOH and ∼102.5 F/g in 1 M H 2 SO 4 at a current density of 0.3 A/g. Supercapacitive performance results demonstrate the excellent charge storage capability and fast energy delivery of FG, indicating its suitability for advanced supercapacitor applications. By upcycling HDPE waste, this method addresses plastic pollution while producing valuable nanomaterials. In comparison to conventional graphene synthesis techniques like CVD and chemical oxidation which are energy-intensive and environmentally harmful. This method for graphene synthesis is far more energy-efficient and eco-friendly as it completely eliminates hazardous chemicals during synthesis and post-processing- a key advantage over conventional methods [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Electrochimica Acta is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:• HDPE-FG delivers specific supercapacitance of 132.8 F g-1 at 0.3 A g-1 in 1 M KOH. • Specific supercapacitance of 102.5 F g-1 achieved at 0.3 A g-1 in 1 M H2SO4. • Conductive additive-free HDPE-FG electrodes show low resistance (RS≈ 1.43 Ω). • Flash graphene attains 1.14 Wh kg-1 energy density at 105 W kg-1 power density. • Flash Joule heating enables solvent-free conversion of plastic waste to graphene. This study employs flash joule heating (FJH) to efficiently synthesize turbostratic graphene from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic waste. Using a custom-built experimental setup, HDPE is transformed into graphene by rapid capacitive current discharge. The applied electrical current rapidly heats the precursors to temperatures exceeding 2500 °C within milliseconds. The resulting graphene's quality is evaluated using Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Raman analysis reveals a high I 2D /I G ratio (1.22) and a low I D /I G ratio (0.05) confirming minimal defects and high-quality graphene formation. A flexible electrode was fabricated using functionalized carbon nanotubes (FCNTs) as the current collector and HDPE-derived flash graphene (HDPE-FG) as the active material without using any external conductive additives. The HDPE-FG synthesized were tested in a three-electrode supercapacitor configuration where it achieved a specific capacitance of ∼132.8 F/g at in 1 M KOH and ∼102.5 F/g in 1 M H 2 SO 4 at a current density of 0.3 A/g. Supercapacitive performance results demonstrate the excellent charge storage capability and fast energy delivery of FG, indicating its suitability for advanced supercapacitor applications. By upcycling HDPE waste, this method addresses plastic pollution while producing valuable nanomaterials. In comparison to conventional graphene synthesis techniques like CVD and chemical oxidation which are energy-intensive and environmentally harmful. This method for graphene synthesis is far more energy-efficient and eco-friendly as it completely eliminates hazardous chemicals during synthesis and post-processing- a key advantage over conventional methods [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:00134686
DOI:10.1016/j.electacta.2026.149178