LAUSR

Abstract This paper presented an effective method that utilized scrap rubber as the precursor to prepare porous activated carbons by the pyrolysis and KOH activation processes. Adjusting the activation temperature can tailor the textural characteristics of the resulting activated carbon, thus tuning the energy storage performance of the activated carbon, including methane storage behavior and electrochemical performance. The as-obtained carbon materials possessed hierarchical porous structure, and the methane adsorption data were analyzed by Langmuir, Langmuir-Freundlich and D-A models, respectively, among which the D-A model fitted the data best. The greatest storage capacity (110.39 mg/g, D-A model) was obtained for the sample AC-750 due to its highest SSA and abundant micropores. Furthermore, the hierarchical porous activated carbon electrode exhibited good rate performance (capacitance retention rate at above 86% as the charge/discharge current density increased by 40 times).