The present invention is directed to battery system and operation thereof. In an embodiment, lithium material is plated onto the anode region of a lithium secondary battery cell by a pulsed current. The pulse current may have both positive and negative polarity. One of the polarities causes lithium material to plate onto the anode region, and the opposite polarity causes lithium dendrites to be removed. There are other embodiments as well.

The present invention is directed to battery system and operation thereof. In an embodiment, lithium material is plated onto the anode region of a lithium secondary battery cell by a pulsed current. The pulse current may have both positive and negative polarity. One of the polarities causes lithium material to plate onto the anode region, and the opposite polarity causes lithium dendrites to be removed. There are other embodiments as well.

A film formation apparatus for forming a metal film includes an anode, a solid electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode and a substrate that serves as a cathode, a power supply device that applies a voltage between the anode and the cathode, a solution container that contains a solution between the anode and the solid electrolyte membrane, the solution containing metal ions, and a pressure device that pressurizes the solid electrolyte membrane to the cathode side with a fluid pressure of the solution. The film formation apparatus includes an auxiliary cathode disposed in a peripheral area of the film formation region when the surface of the substrate is viewed in plain view, the auxiliary cathode having an electric potential lower than an electric potential of the anode.

Exemplary methods of electroplating may include forming a first mask layer on a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include forming a seed layer overlying the first mask layer. The methods may include forming a second mask layer overlying the seed layer. The methods may include plating an amount of metal on the semiconductor substrate. A portion of the metal may plate over the first mask layer.

Exemplary methods of electroplating may include forming a first mask layer on a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include forming a seed layer overlying the first mask layer. The methods may include forming a second mask layer overlying the seed layer. The methods may include plating an amount of metal on the semiconductor substrate. A portion of the metal may plate over the first mask layer.

Articles comprising a substrate and a coating are described. In some examples, the coating is disposed on at least one region of the surface and comprises at least one hydrophobic layer. In some instances, the hydrophobic layer comprises a composite comprising a single metallic element or metallic compound and at least one type of surface-modified inorganic particles to provide a metal-based matrix. In certain examples, the at least one type of surface-modified inorganic particles within the metal-based matrix is embedded within the metal-based matrix and is separate from the single metallic element or metallic compound in the metal-based matrix. Processes for producing the coatings and articles are also described.

Articles comprising a substrate and a coating are described. In some examples, the coating is disposed on at least one region of the surface and comprises at least one hydrophobic layer. In some instances, the hydrophobic layer comprises a composite comprising a single metallic element or metallic compound and at least one type of surface-modified inorganic particles to provide a metal-based matrix. In certain examples, the at least one type of surface-modified inorganic particles within the metal-based matrix is embedded within the metal-based matrix and is separate from the single metallic element or metallic compound in the metal-based matrix. Processes for producing the coatings and articles are also described.

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a method that allows uniformly forming a silver film by a solid electrolyte deposition. One aspect of this embodiment is a method for forming a silver film. The method includes disposing an anode, a substrate as a cathode, and a separator such that the separator is positioned between the anode and the substrate and the separator is in contact with a surface of the substrate, the separator including an electrolytic solution that contains silver ions, and applying a voltage between the anode and the substrate to form a silver film on the substrate. The separator is a porous membrane without ion exchange functional group. The electrolytic solution contains organic sulfonic acid ions. The substrate contains a crystalline metal, and a silver film is formed on the crystalline metal.

A film forming device that avoids a leakage of a liquid electrolyte and a method for forming a metal film using the film forming device are provided. The film forming device to form the metal film includes an anode, a cathode, a solid electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode, a solution container that defines a solution containing space between the anode and the solid electrolyte membrane, and a power supply that applies a voltage between the anode and the cathode. The solid electrolyte membrane includes a first surface exposed to the solution containing space and a second surface opposed to the cathode, and is dividable along a division surface having no common point with the first surface or the second surface.

A method of fabricating and using a zinc negative electrode and systems thereof are described. A zinc electroplated electrode including a layer of zinc metal bonded to a surface of an electrically conductive current collector is fabricated by an electroplating process using a zinc electroplating system. The zinc electroplating system includes: a zinc metal anode, a cathode including the current collector for plating zinc thereon, and an electrolyte bath comprising zinc ions. The electroplating process bonds the zinc metal to the surface of the current collector to create the electroplated zinc electrode. The electroplated zinc electrode is used as a negative electrode in a zinc metal cell. The zinc metal cell may be a primary cell or a secondary cell.