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Thin Films and Coatings for Energy Storage and Conversion
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Thin Films and Coatings for Energy Storage and Conversion

A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Thin Films".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2024) | Viewed by 16782

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Miroslav Mikolášek

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Institute of Electronics and Photonics, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Ilkovicova 3, 812 19 Bratislava, Slovakia
Interests: energy storage and conversion applications including photoelectrochemical cells (water splitting), solar cells, Li-ion batteries, and supercapacitors; thin films and materials for energy storage and conversion based on metal oxides and sulfides, 2D materials, carbon materials; electrical and electrochemical characterization of energy storage and conversion structures, analysis of their reliability and aging mechanism; characterization and simulation of semiconductor and sensor devices

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Effective and reliable energy storage and conversion represent a key challenge for a green sustainable economy. Thin films and coatings based on new materials, such as metal oxides, 2D metal chalcogenides, or carbon-based materials with unique properties, are one of the key directions for increasing of efficiency and performance of these systems. Research and development of such thin coatings are key parts of the development of new supercapacitors, Li-ion/Na-ion batteries, Li-ion/Na-ion capacitors, and water electrolyzers.

This Special Issue would like to provide a platform for researchers to exchange the latest research knowledge on thin films and coatings for energy storage and conversion. Research areas of this Special Issue may include the following:

  • Supercapacitors
  • Li-ion/Na-ion capacitors
  • Li-ion/Na-ion batteries
  • Coatings for Water electrolyzers
  • 2D materials for energy storage and conversion
  • Nanostructured materials and coatings
  • Reliability and aging

Dr. Miroslav Mikolášek
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Coatings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • supercapacitors
  • li-ion/na-ion capacitors
  • li-ion/na-ion batteries
  • water electrolyzers
  • 2D materials for energy storage and conversion
  • reliability and aging

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

4 pages, 216 KiB  
Editorial
Thin Films and Coatings for Energy Storage and Conversion: From Supercapacitors and Batteries to Hydrogen Generators
by Peter Ondrejka and Miroslav Mikolášek
Coatings 2023, 13(4), 742; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13040742 - 6 Apr 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2157
Abstract
The transition to a green economy is becoming an important challenge for sustainable economic growth [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thin Films and Coatings for Energy Storage and Conversion)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

7 pages, 1816 KiB  
Article
High-Performance and Broad-Viewing-Angle Structural Colored Films with Carbon Black and Carbon Quantum Dot Doping
by Peng Han, Yuan Li, Jiarou Liu, Weihua Meng and Bin Zhao
Coatings 2024, 14(9), 1177; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14091177 - 12 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 675
Abstract
Traditional photonic crystal films are becoming increasingly popular in the fields of smart sensing and optical devices due to their high brightness level, but at the same time there is a lack of color saturation and angle dependence, which seriously affects the application [...] Read more.
Traditional photonic crystal films are becoming increasingly popular in the fields of smart sensing and optical devices due to their high brightness level, but at the same time there is a lack of color saturation and angle dependence, which seriously affects the application of structural color in visual response and display fields. Here, the optical performance of the photonic crystal films was improved by doping a certain amount of carbon black and carbon quantum dots during the film preparation process. Doping carbon quantum dots can effectively compensate for the optical brightness loss caused by the introduction of black substances by utilizing their self-sustained photoluminescence behavior that matches the photonic bandgap. In addition, the introduction of black nanoparticles can effectively enhance surface-resonant scattering, resulting in low angle-dependent structural colors, further expanding the application of structural color in optical display fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thin Films and Coatings for Energy Storage and Conversion)
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14 pages, 5905 KiB  
Article
Effect of Sulfuric Acid Immersion on Electrical Insulation and Surface Composition of Amorphous Carbon Films
by Kazuya Kanasugi, Eito Ichijo, Masanori Hiratsuka and Kenji Hirakuri
Coatings 2024, 14(8), 1023; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14081023 - 12 Aug 2024
Viewed by 759
Abstract
Sulfuric acid is a concern for contacts within electronic devices, and the application of amorphous carbon films as thin electrical insulating coatings for small coils requires full investigation of its effects. Five types of amorphous carbon films were fabricated on Si substrates under [...] Read more.
Sulfuric acid is a concern for contacts within electronic devices, and the application of amorphous carbon films as thin electrical insulating coatings for small coils requires full investigation of its effects. Five types of amorphous carbon films were fabricated on Si substrates under different deposition conditions using vacuum coating systems. Based on their optical constants (ISO 23216:2021(E)), the films were classified into three types: hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H), polymer-like carbon (PLC), and graphite-like carbon (GLC). The structure, surface composition, and electrical insulation properties of the films were evaluated before and after immersion in sulfuric acid. Although the PLC and a-C:H showed progression of surface oxidation due to sulfuric acid immersion, none showed obvious changes in their structure or DC dielectric breakdown field strength due to sulfuric acid immersion, proving their stability. Furthermore, the PLC and a-C:H, which had a relatively low extinction coefficient, exhibited excellent insulation properties. Our results suggest that amorphous carbon films can be useful as thin insulating films for small coils that may come in contact with sulfuric acid. Our study offers a valuable tool for general users in the industry to facilitate selection of electrical insulating amorphous carbon films based on optical constants, such as extinction coefficients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thin Films and Coatings for Energy Storage and Conversion)
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12 pages, 3176 KiB  
Communication
Fully Printed HTL-Free MAPbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells with Carbon Electrodes
by Shoaib Iqbal, Xingtian Yin, Boyang Wang, Jiawei Zhang, Muhammad Zubair Nisar, Jide Zhang and Wenxiu Que
Coatings 2023, 13(8), 1338; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13081338 - 29 Jul 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2236
Abstract
This study investigates fully printed methylamine vapour-treated methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) hole transport layer (HTL)-free perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with a carbon electrode. We describe a method that can be used to deposit MAPbI3 films in an ambient environment with [...] Read more.
This study investigates fully printed methylamine vapour-treated methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) hole transport layer (HTL)-free perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with a carbon electrode. We describe a method that can be used to deposit MAPbI3 films in an ambient environment with doctor blading that is entirely free of spin coating and has precise morphology control, in which the varying input N2 pressure affects the film morphology. Consequently, a fully printed perovskite solar cell with an ITO/SnO2/MAPbI3/carbon structure was fabricated using a doctor-blading SnO2 electron transport layer and a screen-printed carbon counter electrode. The low-temperature-derived PSCs exhibited a superior power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 14.17% with an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.02 V on a small-active-area device and the highest efficiency of >8% for an illumination exposure area of 1.0 cm2, with high reproducibility. This work highlights the potential of doctor blading and methylamine vapour treatment as promising methods for fabricating high-performance perovskite solar cells. A doctor-blading approach offers a wide processing window for versatile high-performance perovskite optoelectronics in the context of large-scale production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thin Films and Coatings for Energy Storage and Conversion)
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21 pages, 22294 KiB  
Article
A Facile Two-Step PVP-Assisted Deposition of Co-Activated Nanosized Nickel Hydroxide Directly on a Substrate for Large-Scale Production of Supercapacitor Electrodes
by Valerii Kotok, Peter Ondrejka, Miroslav Mikolášek, Michaela Sojková, Patrik Novák, Maroš Gregor, Vadym Kovalenko and Kostyantyn Sukhyy
Coatings 2023, 13(1), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13010084 - 3 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1969
Abstract
The self-decomposition reaction of the nickel ammonia complex was used for the nickel hydroxide formation on the nickel foam with further modification in several ways. The addition of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and the electrochemical or chemical activation with cobalt hydroxide was used to [...] Read more.
The self-decomposition reaction of the nickel ammonia complex was used for the nickel hydroxide formation on the nickel foam with further modification in several ways. The addition of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and the electrochemical or chemical activation with cobalt hydroxide was used to modify the formation method. In all cases, structures with Ni(OH)2 nanoflakes were formed. It was found that the flower-like particles of Co(OH)2 were precipitated during chemical activation among the nanoflakes. It was shown that the presence of PVP during the nickel ammonia complex decomposition suppressed the highly branched particles. The absence of the highly branched particles increased the capacitive properties of the formed electrode at high current densities. The highest capacitance in 1408 F/g at 1 A/g was shown for the sample precipitated with the PVP presence and the further chemical activation by cobalt. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thin Films and Coatings for Energy Storage and Conversion)
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11 pages, 3637 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Fabrication Process for SiON/SiOx Films Applicable as Optical Waveguides
by Ľuboš Podlucký, Andrej Vincze, Soňa Kováčová, Juraj Chlpík, Jaroslav Kováč and František Uherek
Coatings 2021, 11(5), 574; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11050574 - 15 May 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4507
Abstract
In this paper, the analysis of silicon oxynitride (SiON) films, deposited utilizing the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process, for optical waveguides on silicon wafers is presented. The impact of N2O flow rate on various SiON film properties was investigated. [...] Read more.
In this paper, the analysis of silicon oxynitride (SiON) films, deposited utilizing the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process, for optical waveguides on silicon wafers is presented. The impact of N2O flow rate on various SiON film properties was investigated. The thickness and refractive index were measured by micro-spot spectroscopic reflectometry and confirmed by spectroscopic ellipsometry. The chemical composition of SiON films was analyzed using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS). The surface roughness was analyzed using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Increasing the N2O flow rate during deposition caused the deposition rate to increase and the refractive index to decrease. By changing the flow rate of gases into the chamber during the PECVD process, it is possible to precisely adjust the oxygen (O2) ratio and nitrogen (N2) ratio in the SiON film and thus control its optical properties. This was possibility utilized to fabricate SiON films suitable to serve as a waveguide core for optical waveguides with a low refractive index contrast. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thin Films and Coatings for Energy Storage and Conversion)
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10 pages, 5742 KiB  
Article
Complex Analysis of Emission Properties of LEDs with 1D and 2D PhC Patterned by EBL
by Lubos Suslik, Jaroslava Skriniarova, Jaroslav Kovac, Dusan Pudis, Anton Kuzma and Jaroslav Kovac, Jr.
Coatings 2020, 10(8), 748; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings10080748 - 30 Jul 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3757
Abstract
In this paper, we present the optical and electrical properties of surface-patterned GaAs-based Multiquantum Well (MQW) light emitting diodes (LEDs) with one- and two-dimensional photonic crystal (PhC) structures. Optical properties were analyzed in the near and far field, measured by a near-field scanning [...] Read more.
In this paper, we present the optical and electrical properties of surface-patterned GaAs-based Multiquantum Well (MQW) light emitting diodes (LEDs) with one- and two-dimensional photonic crystal (PhC) structures. Optical properties were analyzed in the near and far field, measured by a near-field scanning optical microscope and with a goniophotometer. We demonstrated a strong effect of patterned PhC on the radiation properties and the light extraction efficiency. Enormous surface emission enhancement reaching 110% confirmed the strong effect of the patterned structure on the coupling of the guided modes into the surface emission. Additionally, the considerable effect of the PhC structure diffraction on radiation pattern was confirmed in the near and far field and is in good agreement with the simulated shape of the optical field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thin Films and Coatings for Energy Storage and Conversion)
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