Electrodeposition for Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage Devices

Abstract

Electrodeposition of metals, alloys, metal oxides, conductive polymers, and their composites plays a pivotal role in fabrication processes of some recently developed electrochemical energy devices, most particularly fuel cells, supercapacitors, and batteries. Unique nanoscale architectures of electrocatalysts for low temperature fuel cells, including proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), can only be obtained through electrodeposition processes. Promising, cost-effective conductive/protective coatings for stainless steel interconnects used in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have been achieved employing a variety of electrodeposition techniques. In supercapacitors, anodic deposition of metal oxides, conductive polymers, and their composites is a versatile technique for fabrication of electrodes with distinctive morphology and exceptional specific capacitance. Electrodeposition is also very recently employed for preparation of Sn-based anodes for lithium ion batteries.