Abstract
The European Green Crab (EGC) is recognized as one of the world’s most destructive aquatic invasive species and has had a profound detrimental impact on the ecosystem of the Pacific coastline for over 20 years. The Coastal Restoration Society and the T’Sou-ke First Nations in British Columbia, Canada, have developed a large-scale trapping and control plan for EGC, providing a high-value materials stream and a circular-economy solution to a significant coastal environmental challenge. This research study focused on extracting chitin, a biopolymer naturally present in EGC shells, and converting it to chitosan for use in organic aerogels. These aerogels were then carbonized for incorporation into battery electrodes, where their porosity and conductivity enhanced electronic pathways and improved electrochemical performance. These results highlight the potential of EGC-derived chitosan as a scalable precursor for sustainable carbon aerogels tailored for high-performance energy applications.