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

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.