Abstract:
An electrochemical cell for a portable electronic device is provided, said cell having a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte, characterised in that at least the positive electrode comprises a mesoporous structure having a periodic arrangement of substantially uniformly sized pores of cross-section of the order of 10 to 10 m.
Abstract:
A method of preparing a porous film comprises electrodepositing material from a mixture onto a substrate, the mixture comprising: (I) a source of metal, inorganic oxide, non-oxide semiconductor/conductor or organic polymer; (II) a solvent such as water; and (III) a structure-directing agent such as octaethylene glycol monododecyl ether to form an homogenous lyotropic liquid crystalline phase in the mixture. Electrodepositing the film from a lyotropic liquid phase in this manner provides a porous film having a substantially regular structure and substantially uniform pore size.
Abstract:
A process for the electrochemical deposition of a semiconductor material, which process comprises: (i) providing a non-aqueous solvent; (ii) providing at least one precursor salt which forms a source of the constituent elements within the semiconductor material to be deposited; and (iii) electrodepositing the semiconductor material onto an electrode substrate using the precursor salt in the non-aqueous solvent, characterised in that: (iv) the semiconductor material is a p-block or a post-transition metal semiconductor material containing at least one p-block element or post-transition metal; and (v) the non-aqueous solvent is a halocarbon non-aqueous solvent.
Abstract:
An electrochemical cell comprising a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte is provide, wherein: the cathode comprises mesoporous nickel having a periodic arrangement of substantially uniformly sized pores of cross-section of the order of 10 to 10 m; and the anode comprises a mesoporous material having a periodic arrangement of substantially uniformly sized pores of cross-section of the order of 10 to 10 m and selected from: carbon, cadmium, iron, a palladium/nickel alloy, an iron/titanium alloy, palladium or a mixed metal hydride.
Abstract:
A photovoltaic device and a method of making the photovoltaic device. The device includes a metallic surface defining a plurality of voids for confining surface plasmons. The metallic surface is coated with a semiconductor to form a Schottky region at an interface between the metallic surface and the semiconductor within each void.
Abstract:
An electrochemical cell comprising a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte is provide, wherein: the cathode comprises mesoporous nickel having a periodic arrangement of substantially uniformly sized pores of cross-section of the order of 10 to 10 m; and the anode comprises a mesoporous material having a periodic arrangement of substantially uniformly sized pores of cross-section of the order of 10 to 10 m and selected from: carbon, cadmium, iron, a palladium/nickel alloy, an iron/titanium alloy, palladium or a mixed metal hydride.