Research to develop alternative electrode materials with high energy densities in Li-ion batteries has been actively pursued to satisfy the power demands for electronic devices and hybrid electric vehicles. This critical review focuses on anode materials composed of Group IV and V elements with their composites including Ag and Mg metals as well as transition metal oxides which have been intensively investigated. This critical review is devoted mainly to their electrochemical performances and reaction mechanisms (313 references).

Li-alloy based anode materials for Li secondary batteries.

Hydrothermal growth of ZnO nanostructures

During the last years, ZnO thin films have been studied extensively due to their potential applications in e.g. piezoelectric and optoelectronic devices or photovoltaic cells. Ordered c-axis orientation of ZnO crystallites is desirable for applications where crystallographic anisotropy is a prerequisite such as for short-wavelength semiconductor diode lasers (SDLs), and piezoelectric surface acoustic wave or acousto-optic devices. Many works were dedicated to c-axis oriented ZnO thin films elaboration and the study of their properties, including physical and chemical methods. For instance, sol–gel processes are particularly well adapted to produce ZnO films in a simple, low-cost and highly controlled way. This review summarizes the main chemical routes used in the sol–gel synthesis of undoped ZnO thin films and highlights the chemical and physical parameters influencing their structural properties. In this process, the ZnO films synthesis includes three principal steps: (i) solution preparation, (ii) coating and (iii) heat treatment. For the first step, the particle formation is discussed including nucleation and growth, particle size, morphology and colloids stability. These three steps involve several parameters such as: (i) nature and concentration of precursor, solvent and additive, and solution aging time, for the chemical system, (ii) coating method, thickness and substrate for the coating step, and (iii) pre-and post-heat treatment for the last step. The influence of these steps and synthesis parameters on ZnO thin films orientation is discussed.

Sol–gel-deposited ZnO thin films: A review

Growing market demand for portable energy storage has triggered significant research on high-capacity lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery anodes. Various elements have been utilized in innovative structures to enable these anodes, which can potentially increase the energy density and decrease the cost of Li-ion batteries. In this review, electrode and material parameters are considered in anode fabrication. The periodic table is then used to explore how the choice of anode material affects rate performance, cycle stability, Li-ion insertion/extraction potentials, voltage hysteresis, volumetric and specific capacities, and other critical parameters. Silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), and tin (Sn) anodes receive more attention in literature and in this review, but other elements, such as antimony (Sb), lead (Pb), magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), phosphorus (P), arsenic (As), bismuth (Bi), and zinc (Zn) are also discussed. Among conversion anodes focus is placed on oxides, nitrides, phosphides, and hydrides. Nanostructured carbon (C) receives separate consideration. Issues in high- capacity research, such as volume change, insufficient coulombic efficiency, and solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer stability are elucidated. Finally, advanced carbon composites utilizing carbon nanotubes (CNT), graphene, and size preserving external shells are discussed, including high mass loading (thick) electrodes and electrodes capable of providing load-bearing properties.

High‐Capacity Anode Materials for Lithium‐Ion Batteries: Choice of Elements and Structures for Active Particles

Applications of metal–organic coordination polymers as precursors for preparation of nano-materials

http://www.biblioteca.uma.es/bbldoc/tesisuma/16643173.pdf

Preparation and characterization of transparent ZnO thin films obtained by spray pyrolysis

http://atarazanas.sci.uma.es/docs/tesisuma/16644037.pdf

Growth of pure ZnO thin films prepared by chemical spray pyrolysis on silicon

http://atarazanas.sci.uma.es/docs/articulos/16666781.pdf

Electrochemical properties of lead oxide films obtained by spray pyrolysis as negative electrodes for lithium secondary batteries

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were grown on uncoated and zinc-coated Corning glass substrates by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD). X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that the as-deposited films are polycrystalline having preferential orientation along the [0002] and [] directions. Transmittance spectroscopy verified that the as-deposited films are transparent with a direct bandgap of about 3.28 eV at room temperature. Piezoresponse imaging and local hysteresis loop acquisition were performed to characterize the piezoelectric and possible ferroelectric properties of the films. The out-of-plane (effective longitudinal, ) and in-plane (effective shear, ) coefficients were estimated from the local piezoresponse based on the comparison with LiNbO3 single crystals. Measurements of all three components of piezoresponse (one longitudinal and two shear signals) allowed constructing piezoelectric maps for polycrystalline ZnO and to relate the variation of piezoelectric properties to the crystallographic and grain structure of the films. A shifted piezoresponse hysteresis loop under high voltages hints at the possible pseudoferroelectricity, as discussed recently by Tagantsev (2008 Appl. Phys. Lett. 93 202905).

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0957-4484/21/23/235703/pdf

Local piezoelectric properties of ZnO thin films prepared by RF-plasma-assisted pulsed-laser deposition method

http://www.biblioteca.uma.es/bbldoc/articulos/16670644.pdf

R. Ayouchi

Papers

Preparation and characterization of transparent ZnO thin films obtained by spray pyrolysis

Growth of pure ZnO thin films prepared by chemical spray pyrolysis on silicon

Electrochemical properties of lead oxide films obtained by spray pyrolysis as negative electrodes for lithium secondary batteries

Local piezoelectric properties of ZnO thin films prepared by RF-plasma-assisted pulsed-laser deposition method

Use of amorphous tin-oxide films obtained by spray pyrolysis as electrodes in lithium batteries