Electroplating Transitional Metal Oxides

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a method for electroplating (or electrodeposition) a transition metal oxide composition that may be used in gas sensors, biological cell sensors, supercapacitors, catalysts for fuel cells and metal air batteries, nano and optoelectronic devices, filtration devices, structural components, and energy storage devices. The method includes electrodepositing the electrochemically active transition metal oxide composition onto a working electrode in an electrodeposition bath containing a molten salt electrolyte and a transition metal ion source. The electrode structure can be used for various applications such as electrochemical energy storage devices including high power and high-energy primary or secondary batteries.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of and priority to the filing date of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62 / 567,228 filed Oct. 3, 2017, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 15 / 362,993 entitled LITHIATED TRANSITION METAL OXIDES, issued on Oct. 3, 2017 as U.S. Pat. No. 9,780,356, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present disclosure generally relates to a method for electroplating (or electrodeposition) a transition metal oxide composition that may be used in gas sensors, biological cell sensors, supercapacitors, catalysts for fuel cells and metal air batteries, nano and optoelectronic devices, filtration devices, structural components, energy storage devices such as primary and secondary batteries. Transition metal oxides can also be used to coat battery electrodes to make Li batteries safer at high voltages. In one su...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention describes a new technique for synthesizing active materials that is cost-effective and delivers good electrochemical performance. This technique eliminates the use of conductive carbon and binder additives and solely relies on a highly pure active material plated on a 3D substrate or planar electrode. Compared to traditionally manufactured TMO's requiring high temperature processes, this method can be used to synthesize active material with a mild heat treatment or even without any heat treatment at all. Both of these advantages greatly reduce the cost of the final product. The invention also allows for the synthesis of conformal coatings of active materials on 3D substrates, which is difficult to achieve using conventional methods. The synthesis temperature of the metal oxide is as low as 150° C. This enables the formation of uniform, crack free, interconnected active materials which directly adhere to the substrate. The technique also allows for control of crystallinity, morphology, and surface area of the active materials by adjusting the electrodeposition parameters such as applied potential and interval time between each pulse.

Problems solved by technology

Furthermore, unlike the conventional way of making metal oxides, high purity of starting precursors can be substituted with low purity precursors (down to 50% purity), which decreases the cost of the final metal oxide product.

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