High performance carbon matrix and aqueous zinc ion hybrid capacitors were prepared from waste biomass cotton fiber.

The present study is centered on the development of a novel highly conductive carbon matrix featuring a stable structure and robust functionality, derived from natural biomass. This carbon matrix can be directly employed as an electrode for supercapacitors or serve as a carrier material for electrodes. The modification and activation of natural biomass were executed to prepare tubular carbon nanofibers with porous structures, thereby augmenting the specific surface area, active sites, and permeability of the materials utilized in electrodes. These modifications also guaranteed the electrochemical and structural stability of the electrode materials. For instance, by optimizing the urea dosage and activation temperature while using waste cotton wool as the raw material, we fabricated porous carbon nanofiber materials with a large specific surface area, abundant pore structure, and appropriate nitrogen content. The resulting material demonstrated excellent electrochemical properties such as high specific capacity and good cyclic stability when utilized as a supercapacitor electrode. This synthesis strategy substantiates the feasibility and potential of leveraging biomass waste to produce high-value electrode materials.