Sustainable Energy and Process Intensification

Our research group is dedicated to advancing sustainable energy storage through innovative materials and device architectures, with a special focus on supercapacitors. We aim to deliver scalable, eco-friendly, and high-performance solutions that meet the growing demand for rapid-charging and durable alternatives to conventional batteries.

Green Carbon Electrodes: We utilize biomass waste to synthesize porous carbon materials, enabling cost-effective and sustainable electrode fabrication. Our team has developed oxygen-rich porous carbon from sugarcane bagasse, yellow oleander, and water hyacinth, achieving surface areas above 2200 m²/g and energy densities up to 37.24 Wh/kg at practical mass loadings—demonstrating strong commercial potential [Choudhury et al., Applied Surface Science, 2022].

Magnetic Nanocomposites: We design Fe₃O₄/graphene-based hybrid electrodes that combine high pseudocapacitance with excellent conductivity. By exploring the structure–performance relationship, we enable both symmetric and asymmetric device configurations [Choudhury & Moholkar, Springer Handbook, 2022].

Flexible & Biopolymer Supercapacitors: Our work includes flexible, biopolymer-based devices such as lignin-MWCNT reinforced PVA–chitosan hydrogels, synthesized using ultrasound-assisted methods. These sustainable materials are designed for next-generation wearable and smart energy applications [Ingtipi et al., Materials Today Communications, 2023].

Hybrid Electrolyte Devices: We integrate reduced graphene oxide, MnO₂, and MWCNTs to engineer high-energy symmetric supercapacitors, operable in both redox-active and “water-in-salt” electrolytes. These systems offer high energy density, robust cycling, and scalable manufacturing potential [Choudhury et al., Journal of Energy Storage, 2022].

Ternary Nanocomposite Electrodes: Another significant advancement from our group is the development of a ternary nanocomposite electrode composed of MWCNTs, MnO₂, and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) using an ultrasound-assisted one-pot synthesis method. This approach, reported by Choudhury et al., emphasizes simplicity, scalability, and performance. The resulting composite material demonstrates a unique architecture that facilitates fast electron transport and abundant ion-accessible sites, essential for high-performance energy storage. Critically, the electrodes were fabricated at commercially viable mass loadings (~10 mg/cm²) and exhibited excellent specific capacitance, rate capability, and cycling durability. This work underscores our group’s focus on translating laboratory-scale nanomaterials into scalable supercapacitor technologies for real-world applications [Choudhury et al., Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 2022].