The electro-oxidation of dimethyl ether (DME), which is regarded as a promising alternative fuel for fuel cells, on platinum single-crystal electrode surfaces in acidic solution has been characterized by electrochemical and in situ IR observations. It has been found that the electro-oxidation behavior of DME depends significantly on surface structures. The (100)-terrace shows a particularly high activity in DME electro-oxidation in which C-O bonding is supposed to be selectively cleaved on the (100) terraces.

Three dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) silicon films have been made via ordered polystyrene (PS) templates by electrodeposition from an ionic liquid (IL). For this purpose, the ionic liquid 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide ([Py(1,4)]Tf(2)N) with SiCl(4) dissolved in it was used as an electrolyte and the electrodeposition of macroporous silicon could be achieved at room temperature (~20 °C). Self-assembled PS colloidal crystals with different diameters were used as templates. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirm the quality of the samples, and the optical transmission measurement demonstrates that the 3DOM silicon film has a bandgap in the near infrared regime. Such a material has the potential to make 3DOM silicon feasible for electrical and optical applications.

No abstract

Ge nanotube array anodes are prepared by template-assisted electrodeposition from an ionic liquid to obtain superior cycling performance. They show remarkable cycling ability at 0.2 C, with a very high initial discharge capacity of 1641 mA h g(-1) and a charge capacity of 1260 mA h g(-1). After 250 cycles the capacity retention is 98% relative to that at the 50th cycle.