A nonaqueous asymmetric electrochemical cell technology is presented where the positive electrode stores charge through a reversible nonfaradaic or pseudocapacitive reaction of anions on the surface of an activated carbon positive electrode. The negative electrode is a crystalline intercalation compound which supports the fast reversible intercalation of lithium ions. Using a positive electrode material of activated carbon and newly developed negative electrode material of nanostructured Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 we obtain a cell which exhibits a sloping voltage profile from 3 to 1.5 V, 90% capacity utilization at 10C charge/discharge rates, and 10-15% capacity loss after 5000 cycles. Electrolyte oxidation on the activated carbon positive electrode was characterized in a Li metal asymmetric hybrid cell by cyclic voltammetry. Oxidation during the anodic scan was found to decrease significantly after surface passivation at high voltage and elevated temperatures. We also introduce the asymmetric hybrid technology in a bonded flat plate plastic cell configuration where packaged energy densities were calculated to be in excess of 20 Wh/kg. In addition, a practical method for three-electrode analysis of Li cells by use of a Ag quasi-reference electrode wire is discussed.
We describe the use of single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) thin films as transparent and conducting electrodes for hole collection in poly(hexyl)thiophene-[6-6]phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT-PCBM) organic photovoltaics. We report a power conversion efficiency of 1%, with a fill factor of 0.3 and a short-circuit current of 6.5mA∕cm2 under 100mW∕cm2 polychromatic white light illumination measured in air. These values are comparatively higher than reference cells of similar thickness made on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates. This is attributed to the three-dimensional nature of the interface between the SWNTs and the P3HT-PCBM nanocomposite. Our results indicate that solution processed SWNT thin films are a viable alternative to ITO for photovoltaic devices, eliminating an expensive vacuum deposition step in the fabrication of organic solar cells.
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