Dr. Nagai has been an associate professor at the Department of Applied Physics, School of Advanced Engineering, Kogakuin University of Technology & Engineering (KUTE-Tokyo) since 2018. He has been engaged in research in the fields of materials science and nanotechnology.
Part of the book: Heat Treatment
Future energy demand is an important issue that requires consideration. Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are one of the most popular types of rechargeable battery for portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones, cameras, and laptop computers, and have led to other applications being commercialized. Distributed power generation using renewable energy sources, such as solar photovoltaic (PV), can efficiently supply electricity according to on-site demand. If the electrodes of a LIB could function as a solar cell, the storage device could provide electricity without an electric power supply.
Part of the book: Alkali-ion Batteries
Functional thin films are used in various fields of our life. Many different methods are used to fabricate these films including physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical processes. The chemical processes can be used to manufacture thin films in a relatively cheap way, as compared to PVD methods. This chapter summarizes the procedures of the molecular precursor method (MPM), a chemical process, for fabrication of both metal oxide semiconductor Cu2O and metallic Cu thin films by utilizing Cu(II) complexes in coating solutions. The MPM, recently developed and reported by the present authors, represents a facile procedure for thin film fabrication of various metal oxides or phosphates. This method pertinent to the coordination chemistry and materials science including nanoscience and nanotechnology has provided various thin films of high quality. The MPM is based on the design of metal complexes in coating solutions with excellent stability, homogeneity, miscibility, coatability, etc., which are practical advantages. The metal oxides and phosphates are useful as the electron and/or ion conductors, semiconductors, dielectric materials, etc. This chapter will describe the principle and recent achievement, mainly on fabricating the p-type Cu2O and metallic Cu thin films of the MPM.
Part of the book: Modern Technologies for Creating the Thin-film Systems and Coatings
With the continued miniaturization of the electronic devices applicable in our daily lives, thin films of various functional materials used in such devices are increasingly preferred over the traditional bulk components. Various gas-phase methods have been found to be capable of depositing thin films of good quality and are well-established across the coatings’ industry. However, they are associated with ultrahigh vacuum systems and complicated and expensive instrumentation, and may involve toxic or corrosive chemical precursors. Alternative fabrication methods such as the electrospray deposition, the sol-gel method, and the molecular precursor method have been devised and represent active research areas. The molecular precursor method is relatively new. However, it has been found to be capable of effectively fabricating thin films of various metal oxides and of metals. In this chapter, some methods employed in the fabrication of the thin films are discussed in detail. The ease of practical application and relative cost-effectiveness associated with each method, the quality, and type of the fabricated thin films are also discussed. Based on the recent results by the present authors, the fabrication and characterization of a highly conductive and well-adhered thin film of metallic copper by using the molecular precursor method are presented.
Part of the book: Lithium-ion Batteries
Part of the book: Lithium-ion Batteries