Abstract
Electrochemical applications had their first major impact in the late 20th century with the development of improved energy storage and conversion systems such as lithium-ion batteries, organic-inorganic dye-sensitized solar cells, and even e-ink displays. Depending on the requirements, the electrodes can be made of different materials, such as metal or alloy sheets, foils, bars or conductive ceramics, conductive polymers, etc. In this chapter, methods for surface functionalization and characterization of metallic and non-metallic surfaces used as electrode substrates are presented. The focus is on the use of metal foils in lithium-ion batteries and especially in the novel architecture of optoelectronic devices – from electrochromic and photovoltaic devices to biosensors.
TopIntroduction And Background
Metal foil technology flourished in the 20th century, especially in the automotive and aeronautic industries (Barroqueiro, Andrade-Campos, Valente, & Neto, 2019) (Orsato & Wells, 2007). The use of metal foils had its particularity in the 1950s, when it was widely used in both industries, as well as in the packaging industry, where the use of aluminum was widespread (Lamberti & Escher, 2007). This packaging technology was soon rendered obsolete by the introduction of polymer materials, which eventually found their way also into the automotive and aeronautic industries (Muhammad, Rahman, Baini, & Bin Bakri, 2021). Nevertheless, metal foils remained indispensable in certain sectors, and the rise of advanced electrochemical applications opened up new uses for the old technology. A great example of this represents widely used lithium-ion batteries design, which commonly use aluminum and copper foil as a current collector as well as to improve mechanical characteristics of device (Goodenough, 2018) along with photo/electrocatalysis devices that can be used for either chemical processing (Marinko et al., 2021) or energy storage (Dinh et al., 2019). There was particular interest in the development of semiconductors that could be used for advanced electronic systems (microprocessors) that could be further miniaturized and used in various devices (Covington, 1994). With the advent of miniaturization, the demand for energy storage devices increased as the older lead-lead oxide batteries simply could not keep up with the demand for energy. In addition, the space race between the United States and USSR began in the early 1950s, requiring the development of energy conversion systems that could operate reliably under extreme conditions, even in the space vacuum (Prince, 1955). These energy conversion systems focused on the development of photovoltaics and fuel cells, which initially had relatively limited applications, but soon attracted a great deal of interest in the 1970s and 1980s, when the world economy was beset by various energy crises (e.g., 1973 oil crisis, 1979 Three Mile Island incident, 1986 Chernobyl accident) and demanded new solutions that would make the world energy redundant (Chowdhury, Sumita, Islam, & Bedja, 2014). Electrochemical applications had their first major impact in the late 20th century with the development of improved energy storage and conversion systems such as lithium-ion batteries, organic-inorganic dye-sensitized solar cells, and even display screens (e.g., light-emitting diodes and e-ink displays) (Whittingham, 1974) (O'Regan & Grätzel, 1991) (Fischer, von Brüning, & Labhart, 1976) (Maruska & Stevenson, 1974). With the increasing development of computing and entertainment technologies and the widespread use of portable devices such as smartphones and tablets, energy storage systems and various optoelectronic devices are of great interest, not only for scientific research, but also for industry and consumers. Due to the increased interest of entertainment industry and information sector, any improvement in this field is greatly encouraged both from scientific and financial aspect.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Metal Foils: Materials that are made from single metal or mixture of metal (alloys) where the material is shaped into a thin sheet, that enables material to become fully or partially flexible.
Coating Methods: Methods specialized in the application of thin layers on various substrates (metal, glass, plastic).
Photovoltaics: A phenomenon of conversion of light into electricity. Photovoltaic devices are a group of optoelectronic devices specialized in light-to-electricity conversion for the purpose of light sensing or energy conversion.
Morphology: The study of surfaces, their shapes, forms, and the presence of surface anomalies. In materials science, it is usually associated with the study of the physical properties of surfaces, roughness, and the presence of patterns.
Lithium-Ion Battery: A rechargeable battery device based on Li-ion transport through the electrolyte between the cathode and anode and Li-ion intercalation into the cathode material.
Electrochemistry: Branch of chemistry specializing in chemical reactions based on the conversion of energy from chemical energy to electricity and vice versa.
Electrochromism: A phenomenon of reversible change in the optical properties of a material (colour, opacity) under the influence of an external electric current or applied voltage.
Spectroscopic Methods: Methods based on the interaction of light with the material, useful for the study of material properties (consistency, structure) in different light spectra (UV-Vis, IR, X-rays, etc.).
Biosensor: An optoelectronic device that uses biochemical or biological component to sense or detect physical, biological, or chemical change in the environment and convert that sensation into an optical or electrical response.