Fabrication of enhanced supercapacitors using atomic layer deposition of metal oxide on nanostructures

Abstract

A method to a fabricate high surface area, high performance supercapacitor includes include applying a metal layer to at least a portion of a nanostructure; after applying the metal layer, oxidizing the metal layer; applying a plurality of additional metal layers onto a previously oxidized metal layer; and after applying each additional metal layer, oxidizing the additional metal layer prior to applying a successive additional metal layer. The metal layers may include a composition comprising at least one metal, the at least one metal selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, titanium, manganese, vanadium, iron, tin, cobalt and nickel. Optionally, each of the additional metal layers may be applied using atomic layering deposition (ALD).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A high performance supercapacitor comprising:
 a nanostructure;   a first metal layer formed on at least a portion of said nanostructure, said first metal layer formed on said at least a portion of said nanostructure by applying a metal precursor layer onto a nanostructure using atomic layering deposition (ALD) and thereafter oxidizing said metal precursor layer; and   at least one pseudocapacitive material layer formed over at least a portion of said first metal layer, wherein said at least one pseudocapacitive material layer is formed by applying an additional metal precursor layer onto a previously oxidized metal precursor layer and thereafter oxidizing said additional metal precursor layer prior to applying a successive additional metal precursor layer.   
     
     
         2 . The high performance supercapacitor of  claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor layer is selected from the group consisting of bis(ethylcyclopentadienyl), cyclopentadienyl, (od) 3 /n-butylacetate solution, bis(2,4-dimethylpentadienyl)ruthenium(II), (thd) 3 , (EtCp)(DMPD), and (isopropylmethylbenzene)(cyclohexadiene). 
     
     
         3 . The high performance supercapacitor of  claim 1 , wherein said additional metal precursor layers are applied and oxidized for 50 to 1000 cycles. 
     
     
         4 . The high performance supercapacitor of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of said at least one pseudocapacitive material layer is electrochemically oxidized.