LAUSR

Abstract Waste management is essential for the sustainable development of society. Herein, a strategy was tested for dealing with large volumes of forestry wood waste. Activated carbon monoliths were prepared for application in super capacitor electrodes, using mulberry wood as a raw material. A two step pyrolysis method combined with chemical activation was developed for obtaining crack-free products. The hierarchically porous framework of wood was preserved in the first step of pyrolysis. In the following step, activation conditions were optimized by orthogonal experiments and different activating agents. Results show that carbon monoliths activated by potassium hydroxide exhibited an optimal specific capacitance of 95 F/g, due to their high specific surface area (424 m2/g) and rich micropore volume (0.13 cm3/g). Although the specific capacitance was not highly competitive, the total capacitance (4.7 F for 1 cm2 of one electrode) was much higher than that of common pellet electrodes (about 0.5 F). Finally, technical-economic assessment confirmed the potential for energy saving from an industrial perspective, and a cost breakdown of 4.6 $/kg was expected in electrode assembly process. This strategy has the potential to be used for many other waste woods worldwide and holds much promise for the advancement of sustainable energy industries.