Fabrication of carbon materials from textile waste and their sustainable application toward electrode production

Abstract

The fabrication of carbon-based electrodes, indispensable for energy storage devices (ESDs) such as ion batteries (IBs) and supercapacitors (SCs), currently relies on fossil fuel derivatives. Textile wastes represent a compelling, sustainable, and abundant feedsource of carbon precursors that can be converted into high-performance activated carbons (ACs) through thermal treatment, notably pyrolysis and subsequent chemical activation. This review critically evaluates the influence of precursor type, activation strategy, and heteroatom doping on the structure-property relationships of textile-derived ACs for ESD applications. Key challenges include the heterogeneity of waste streams and environmental concerns of harsh activators. Major takeaways highlight that optimized activation, hierarchical porosity, and multi-heteroatom doping can significantly improve electrode performance, while systematic pretreatment and eco-friendly activation routes are crucial for industrial application. Future research should focus on balancing electrochemical efficiency with sustainability to establish textile waste upcycling as a viable route toward next-generation green electrodes.