Coconut waste. Representative image.
Credit: iStock Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: A research team has developed a method to convert coconut rachis, an agricultural waste product from the coconut palm, into high-performance carbon material.
A research team from the Green Energy Lab of Amrita School of Physical Sciences at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham in Amritapuri in Kollam district of Kerala developed the method.
According to a statement from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, the team has developed activated carbon with a remarkably high specific surface area of 1630 m²/g and a unique honeycomb-like morphology with higher carbon content (>80 per cent) ideal for adsorption-based applications.
They also succeeded in experimentally synthesising a crystalline phase of carbon that had previously only been theoretically predicted. The crystalline phase opens new avenues for use in optoelectronic devices, representing a significant advancement in carbon material research. It also opens fresh possibilities for both environmental protection and economic development.
The project was led by Devu B under the guidance of Dr. Sreekala C O, and co-supervised by Prof. Rajan Jose of Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah.
Since coconut rachis is often discarded as waste, the innovation assumed more significance as it turns waste into energy.