Metal compound thin film, method of forming the same and thin flim catalyst for water electrolysis

Abstract

This invention provides a metal compound thin film, a method for manufacturing the same, and a thin-film catalyst for a water electrolysis reaction. The method includes providing a substrate; and performing at least one inkjet printing operation on the substrate to form a metal compound thin film on the substrate. The metal compound thin film comprises a plurality of thin films that do not contact each other. Each inkjet printing operation includes depositing a first precursor on the substrate using a first printhead of an inkjet system; and depositing a second precursor on the substrate using a second printhead of the inkjet system. The first precursor and the second precursor undergo a chemical reaction to form a metal compound, and the metal compound thin film comprises at least one layer of metal compound. This allows for easy patterning of the thin film and effectively saves on chemical solutions.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a metal compound thin film, comprising: Provide a substrate; The substrate is subjected to at least one inkjet printing operation to form the metal compound film on the substrate, wherein the metal compound film comprises a plurality of films that do not contact each other, and each of the inkjet printing operations comprises: depositing a first precursor on the substrate using a first printhead of an inkjet system; and depositing a second precursor on the substrate using a second printhead of the inkjet system, wherein the first precursor and the second precursor undergo a chemical reaction to form a metal compound, and the metal compound film comprises at least one layer of the metal compound.

2. A method for manufacturing a metal compound thin film as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the thin films is a continuous thin film.

3. The method for manufacturing a metal compound thin film as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the first precursor and the second precursor has a pH value of 2 to 7.

4. The method for manufacturing a metal compound thin film as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the inkjet printing operations further comprises: depositing at least one third precursor using at least one third printhead of the inkjet system.

5. A method for manufacturing a metal compound thin film as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one third precursor is doped into the metal compound.

6. A method for manufacturing a metal compound thin film as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chemical reaction is a redox reaction, and the first precursor and the second precursor have different oxidation potentials.

7. The method for manufacturing a metal compound thin film as claimed in claim 1 further comprises: performing a cleaning operation after each inkjet printing operation up to ten times, wherein the cleaning operation comprises rinsing the substrate with deionized water.

8. A method for manufacturing a metal compound thin film as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal compound thin film comprises 10 to 150 layers of the metal compound.

9. A metal compound thin film, prepared by any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A thin-film catalyst for water electrolysis reaction, comprising the metal compound thin film described in claim 9.

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