Functional Sulfur-Doped Biocarbon for Hydrogen Storage: Development of Nanomaterials for Energy Applications

This research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of advanced materials for hydrogen storage. Two biocarbon samples were synthesized from Sargassum spp. The first was activated with KOH (SKPT) and the second was doped with sulfur (SSKTP); both were obtained through pyrolysis at 900 °C. The sulfur-doped biocarbon (SSKTP), with its high specific surface area (2377 m2 gࢤ1), exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic properties, making it an efficient candidate for hydrogen storage applications. Various characterization techniques were employed to study the relationship between physicochemical properties and hydrogen uptake. The presence of micropores and sulfur doping significantly improved hydrogen uptake at 45 °C and 50 bar, where SSKTP achieved 0.40 wt%. In comparison, the non-doped biocarbon (SKPT) showed a lower hydrogen storage capacity of 0.33 wt%, with a specific surface area of 1620 m2 gࢤ1. The results highlight the potential of sulfur-doped activated biocarbon as a functional material in energy conversion systems, specifically for electrocatalytic hydrogen storage processes. This study demonstrates a sustainable approach to utilizing biomass waste for advanced electrocatalysts, contributing to renewable energy solutions.