Carbon-based thin films

Raman spectra with UV excitation of tetrahedral amorphous carbon contain bands near 1100 cm" and 1600 cm due to sp and sp hybridised carbon respectively. Micro-Raman spectra were used to study carbon-based thin films obtained from camphor soot. There was evidence for diamond-like structures, graphite-like forms and tetrahedrally-coordinated carbon of the camphor soot. ... 

Valentini, L. Armentano, I. Kenny, J. M. Cantalini, C. Lozzi, L. Santucci, S. 2003. Sensors for sub-ppm N02 gas detection based on carbon nanotube thin films. Appl. Phys. Lett. 82 961-963. 

Valentini L., Cantalini C., Armentano I., Keimy J. M., Lozzi L., and Santucci S., Highly sensitive and selective sensors based on carbon nanotubes thin films for molecular detection, Diamond. Relat. Mater., 13, 1301-1305, 2004. 

Tsiulyanu D, Marian S, Liess H-D (2002) Sensing properties of tellurium based thin films to propylamine rmd carbon... 

State-of-the-art thin film Li" cells comprise carbon-based anodes (non-graphitic or graphite), solid polymer electrolytes (such as those formed by solvent-free membranes, for example, polyethylene oxide, PEO, and a lithium salt like LiPFe or LiCFsSOs), and metal oxide based cathodes, in particular mixed or doped oxides... 

The work on carbon nitride solids is strongly related to research on diamondlike carbon (DLC) materials [5, 6]. DLC materials are thin film amorphous metastable carbon-based solids, pure or alloyed with hydrogen, which have properties similar to that of crystalline diamond (high hardness, low friction coefficient, high resistance to wear and chemical attack). This resemblance to diamond is due to the DLC structure, which is characterized by a high fraction of highly cross-linked sp -hybridized carbon atoms. To obtain this diamond-like structure... 

In the next paper by Y. Illin et al., capabilities of Sn anodes are considered as a possible alternative to carbon. Thin films of Sn were deposited onto current collector in vacuum, and tested in the coin cells. Authors were able to obtain reversible alloying reaction, which stabilized at 100 mAh/g between cycle number 100 and 400. The stability of Sn and its characteristics upon cycling was seen to be a function of the current collector material. The best results were achieved with non-copper-based substrates. 

X.J. Zhang, B. Ogorevc, and J. Wang, Solid-state pH nanoelectrode based on polyaniline thin film elec-trodeposited onto ion-beam etched carbon fiber. Anal. Chim. Acta 452, 1-10 (2002). 

Cao, Q. et al. 2006. Highly bendable, transparent thin-film transistors that use carbon-nanotube-based conductors and semiconductors with elastomeric dielectrics. Adv. Mater. 18 304-309. 

The concept of thin films of a molecularly imprinted sol-gel polymer with specific binding sites for a target analyte is general and can be applied also to electrochemical sensors. For example, a sensor to detect parathion in aqueous solutions is based on films cast on glass substrates and on glassy carbon electrodes (Figure 6.14).12... 

The LEC structure that involves the addition of ionic dopants and surfactants to the printable inks enables the ability to print a top electrode without restriction by the work function of the metal. Silver, nickel, or carbon particle-based pastes are generally the preferred printable electron injecting electrodes however, the shape and size of the particles combined with the softening properties of the solvent can create electrical shorts throughout the device when printed over a thin polymer layer that is only several hundred nanometers thick. For optimal performance, the commercially available pastes must be optimized for printing onto soluble thin films to make a fully screen-printed polymer EL display. 

The nanostructured thin-film electrode was first developed at 3M Company by Debe et al. [40] and Debe [41], who prepared thin films of oriented crystalline organic whiskers on which Ft had been deposited. The film was then transferred to the membrane surface using a decal method, and a nanostructured thin-film catalyst-coated membrane was formed as shown in Figure 2.10. Interestingly, both the nanostructured thin-film (NSTF) catalyst and the CL are nonconventional. The latter contains no carbon or additional ionomer and is 20-30 times thinner than the conventional dispersed Pt/ carbon-based CL. In addition, the CL was more durable than conventional CCMs made from Pt/C and Nation ionomer [40]. 

Without doubt, the advent of carbon nanotubes has opened up iimovative perspectives for research and development of carbon electrodes. In this chapter, we have attempted to highlight the electrochemical properties of carbon nanotubes by rooting them mainly on their structural, electronic and chemical properties. If chirality of SWNTs could be controlled, it would be possible to probe electrochemically the unique electronic properties of the tubes with their corresponding unique DOS distribution and establish direct correlations between electronic structure and electrochemistry. However, so far, most of their electrochemical applications are based on ensembles of CNTs (MWNTs or SWNTs) in thin films supported on conductive surfaces or composites. Such ensembles, not so well defined from the structural point of view, contain a mixture of tubes with different diameters and DOS... 

In some cases, the kinetics of the redox charge— discharge reactions can proceed almost as quickly and reversibly as EDL charging. Thin film redox electrodes, based on the lithium intercalation/inser-tion principle such as Li4Ti50i2, exhibit high reversibility and fast kinetics. The Ru02 materials deposited on carbon show pseudo-capacitive charge—... 

---