Description and contextualization of the subject

The course on Application of Surface Treatments to Energy Storage is focused on studing the wide variety of surface treatments that are used in the components of energy storage devices, mainly batteries and supercapacitors. The course will cover both experimental and theoretical aspects of the different surface treatments designed to enhance anticorrosion, transport or passivation properties.

Temary

1- Chemical conversion treatments

Exploring the various chemical conversion treatments used for surface protection and stabilization: metal conversion coatings, phosphate conversion coatings, chemical bath, bluing and blackening.

2- Electrochemical conversion treatments

General study of the coating production assisted by electrochemical reactions which are typically more resistant than chemical conversion treatments. Overview of the most used electrochemical methods for surface modification: electrochemical reduction, anodization and galvanization.

3- Anodization: example of Al and Ti metals and alloys

Anodization as passivation method to increase the natural oxide layer in the surface of metals. Applications in electrolytic capacitors and detailed study of use cases in aluminium and magnesium alloy anodization for electrolytic capacitors, thin film anodization of Hf and Ta for metal-based capacitors and Ti anodization for hybrid capacitors.

4- Electrochemical deposit of metals and alloys: thermodynamic and kinetics approaches

Theoretical foundations of electrodeposition methods for metals and alloys. Butler-Volmer equation. Nernst equation. Mass transport and atomistic aspects.

5- Electrochemical deposit of metals and alloys: Cu, Ni, Zn deposits (direct deposit). Au deposit (complexation). Al deposit from non aqueous electrolyte.

Direct electrodeposition of metals to enhance the electrode and current collector properties in capacitors. Gold plating baths to tune the transport properties. Route for electrodeposition of metals and alloys from ionic liquids

Bibliography

Basic bibliography

- Paunovic, M. and Schlesinger, M. 2006 Kinetics and Mechanism of Electrodeposition, in Fundamentals of Electrochemical Deposition, Second Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, USA.

- Roos, J. R., Celis, J.-P. and De Bonte, M. 2006. Electrodeposition of Metals and Alloys. Materials Science and Technology.

- Petschel, M. and Hart, R. 2000. Metal Surface Conversion Treatments. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology.

- Biestek, T. and Weber, J. 1976. Electrolytic and chemical conversion coatings : a concise survey of their production, properties and testing. Redhill : Portcullis Press Ltd.