Paper TF+AS+SE+SS-MoA8
Metal Oxide/Carbon Composite Films by Pyrolysis of Hybrid Organic-Inorganic MLD Films

Monday, October 28, 2013, 4:20 pm, Room 104 A

Many metal oxides with desirable electrochemical properties have limited use in electrochemical devices due to their low electrical conductivities. One way to improve the electrical conductivity is to integrate carbon domains as a conductive additive in the metal oxide. We have developed a method to produce metal oxide/carbon composite thin films via pyrolysis of hybrid organic-inorganic molecular layer deposition (MLD) films under inert atmosphere. This method is general and has been applied to form TiO₂/C, Al₂O₃/C, ZnO/C, ZrO₂/C and HfO₂/C composite films from titanicone, alucone, zincone, zircone and hafnicone MLD films, respectively. Most of the work has focused on TiO₂/C and Al₂O₃/C composite films. Raman measurements have observed the growth of the signature D and G peaks of graphitic carbon after pyrolysis under argon at ≥600°C. The sheet resistance of the pyrolyzed MLD films also decreased by orders of magnitude with increasing pyrolysis temperature. Minimum sheet resistances were obtained for titanicone and alucone MLD films after pyrolysis at 800 and 850°C, respectively. The ability to coat conformally high aspect ratio electrodes with hybrid organic-inorganic MLD films and then pyrolyze these MLD films to obtain conducting metal oxide/carbon composite films will have many important applications in electrochemistry. Possible areas include Li ion batteries and pseudocapacitance supercapacitors.