Thomas Sadowski1,2,Max Martone1,2,Vanessa Adamski1,2,Kaleb Roman1,2,Jules Scanley1,2,Rahul Singhal3,2,Christine Broadbridge1,2
Southern Connecticut State University1,Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Center for Nanotechnology2,Central Connecticut State University3
Thomas Sadowski1,2,Max Martone1,2,Vanessa Adamski1,2,Kaleb Roman1,2,Jules Scanley1,2,Rahul Singhal3,2,Christine Broadbridge1,2
Southern Connecticut State University1,Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Center for Nanotechnology2,Central Connecticut State University3
The demand to diversify the global energy portfolio to include more renewable sources has illustrated an acute and critical need for advancements in energy storage technology to mediate their inherent intermittent nature. Hybrid supercapacitors offer such a solution for a wide range of commercial and infrastructural energy applications, with great potential for fabrication utilizing cost-effective and environmentally benign materials. Previous studies have identified electrodes composed of biochar alongside MnO<sub>2</sub> (for non-Faradaic and Faradaic charge storage, respectively) as great potential candidates that fit this sustainability-driven profile. In this study, the performance of pine-based biochar-MnO<sub>2</sub> hybrid electrodes, synthesized via a one-pot method of varying initial biochar concentrations, was investigated. The electrode surface area was quantified by BET surface analysis and the structure and composition using x-ray diffraction. The supercapacitive performances were investigated using cyclic voltammetry ranging from 3-200 mVs<sup>-1</sup> as well as galvanostatic charge-discharge tests at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 A/g. This data along with scanning and transmission electron microscopy data provide preliminary insights on the structure-property-performance relationship for this composite materials system.