Upcycling of Solid Waste into Graphene and Its Derivatives for Supercapacitors

The rapid accumulation of solid waste has emerged as a significant environmental challenge, necessitating innovative strategies for sustainable waste management. Upcycling solid waste into high-value carbon materials presents an eco-friendly and cost-effective approach to address this issue. Graphene and its derivatives, known for their exceptional electrical conductivity, large surface area, and excellent electrochemical stability, have gained immense attention as promising materials for energy storage applications, particularly supercapacitors. This chapter explores the transformation of diverse solid waste sources, including plastic, biomass, and industrial byproducts, into graphene-based materials through various synthesis techniques such as pyrolysis, chemical vapor deposition, and electrochemical exfoliation. The physicochemical properties of the derived graphene materials are discussed in relation to their electrochemical performance in supercapacitors. Furthermore, the impact of structural modifications, heteroatom doping, and functionalization on charge storage mechanisms is analyzed. Finally, challenges and future perspectives in scaling up these upcycling methods for commercial applications are highlighted. This work emphasizes the role of circular economy principles in advancing sustainable energy storage technologies.