The synthesis of highly dispersed and stable ruthenium nanoparticles (RuNPs; ca. 2–3 nm) on porous activated carbons derived from Moringa Oleifera fruit shells (MOC) is reported and were exploited for supercapacitor applications. The Ru/MOC composites so fabricated using the biowaste carbon source and ruthenium acetylacetonate as the co-feeding metal precursors were activated at elevated temperatures (600–900 oC) in the presence of ZnCl2 as the pore generating and chemical activating agent. The as-prepared MOC carbonized at 900 oC was found to possess a high specific surface area (2522 m2 g−1) and co-existing micro- and mesoporosities. Upon incorporating RuNPs, the Ru/MOC nanocomposites loaded with modest amount of metallic Ru (1.0–1.5 wt%) exhibit remarkable electrochemical and capacitive properties, achiving a maximum capacitance of 291 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 in 1.0 M H2SO4 electrolyte. These highly stable and durable Ru/MOC electrodes, which can be facily fabricated by the eco-friendly and cost-effective route, should have great potentials for practical applications in energy storage, biosensing, and catalysis.
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