Speaker
Description
The demand for low-cost, environment-friendly materials is the main driving force for studying the utilization of bio-wastes as the precursor for synthesizing functional carbon in energy-related
applications. This talk outlines our group’s systematic approach in converting rice husk and tea waste into activated carbon through controlled carbonization and chemical activation, then integrating it into poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) polymer matrices. Detailed structural and electrical characterization exhibit enhanced dielectric response, tunable electrical conductivity, and promising piezoelectric energy-harvesting performance of the
nanocomposites. Results show that the interfacial polarization and charge transport properties are strongly governed by carbon loading and processing conditions. While carbon nanotubes (CNTs) provide superior electrical and mechanical properties for such applications, they still require high costs and large energy inputs for manufacture. Therefore, the main challenge and aim of this work lies in the rationalization of the design of higher-value, CNT-like carbon nanostructures that can
be produced from bio-waste through scalable, durable and sustainable route for next-generation energy technology.
Keywords: Bio-waste; Activated carbon; Carbon-polymer nanocomposites; Dielectric properties; Sustainable energy materials
References:
1. Halder, M., Halder, S., Mukherjee, A., & Meikap, A. K. (2021). KOH-activated microporous
carbon from tea waste for flexible PVA-based dielectric films. Applied Journal of Advanced
Carbon, DOI: 10.15864/ajac.21003
2. Sagar, B. et al. (2025). Biomass Waste-Derived Hierarchically Porous Carbon-Reinforced
ZnS/PDMS-Based Flexible Hybrid Piezo-Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Energy Scavenging and
Sensing. Advanced Materials Technologies, 10(22), e00924.