Bagasse-derived activated carbon/MoS₂ electrodes for solid-state supercapacitors

Sustainable energy storage requires eco-friendly, high-performance electrodes to replace expensive, fossil-fuel-derived carbons. Although biomass-derived carbons are renewable, they typically exhibit limited electrochemical performance. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) possesses high theoretical capacitance but is constrained by restacking and low conductivity. In this study, C-MoS₂ nanocomposites were synthesized by combining activated carbon derived from sugarcane bagasse (surface area: 1070 m 2 /g) with MoS₂ at different concentrations using a one-step hydrothermal process. The layer-by-layer assembly strategy enabled sequential deposition of the C–MoS₂ composite onto the current collector, leading to enhanced electrochemical performance. The resulting solid-state supercapacitor, utilizing a PVA/H₂SO₄ gel electrolyte, delivered a specific capacitance of 465.87 F/g at 0.67 A/g, an energy density of 32.4 Wh/kg, and a power density of 333.6 W/kg. It retained 97.66% of its capacitance after 5000 cycles. These findings demonstrate the transformation of agricultural waste into a cost-effective, high-performance electrode material, offering a sustainable and potentially scalable solution for next-generation supercapacitors.