The present invention relates to the use of water soluble lanthanide compounds as stabilizer in electrolytes for electroless metal deposition, an electrolyte as well as a method for the electroless deposition of metals, particularly layers of nickel, copper, cobalt, boron, silver, palladium or gold, as well as layers of alloys comprising at least one of the aforementioned metals as alloying metal.

An electrode, process for preparing the electrode and devices thereof. An electrode comprising at least one metal deposited on a substrate; and at least one electrically conducting polymer. The devices comprising the electrode for energy storage and molecular separation.

The invention relates to a method for depositing a metal M1 onto a carbon layer, as well as to a method for manufacturing an electrode for fuel cells and to a method for manufacturing a fuel cell. The method for depositing a metal M1 onto a porous carbon layer according to the invention includes a step of depositing said metal M1 by means of the electrochemical reduction of an electrolytic solution of a salt of the metal M1, and, prior to said step of depositing the metal M1 by means of electrochemical reduction, a step of depositing a metal M2 by means of chemical reduction using a reducing gas of a salt of the metal M2, the thermodynamic equilibrium potential between the ionic form of the salt of M2 and M2, E.sup.eq.sub.ionic form of the salt of M2/M2 being greater than the thermodynamic equilibrium potential between the ionic form of the salt of M1 and M1, E.sup.eq.sub.ionic form of the salt of M1/M1. The invention can be used, in particular, in the field of fuel cells.

The invention relates to a method for depositing a metal M1 onto a carbon layer, as well as to a method for manufacturing an electrode for fuel cells and to a method for manufacturing a fuel cell. The method for depositing a metal M1 onto a porous carbon layer according to the invention includes a step of depositing said metal M1 by means of the electrochemical reduction of an electrolytic solution of a salt of the metal M1, and, prior to said step of depositing the metal M1 by means of electrochemical reduction, a step of depositing a metal M2 by means of chemical reduction using a reducing gas of a salt of the metal M2, the thermodynamic equilibrium potential between the ionic form of the salt of M2 and M2, E.sup.eq.sub.ionic form of the salt of M2/M2 being greater than the thermodynamic equilibrium potential between the ionic form of the salt of M1 and M1, E.sup.eq.sub.ionic form of the salt of M1/M1. The invention can be used, in particular, in the field of fuel cells.

An object is to provide a spray coating device and a coating method, with which a uniform coating film can be formed by spray coating with two liquids having reactivity, and in which precipitation of a reaction product on a periphery can also be prevented. The object is achieved by providing a transporting unit for transporting a substrate downward; a first spray nozzle; a second spray nozzle disposed below the first spray nozzle; a holding plate for holding the first spray nozzle and the second spray nozzle such that an angle formed by center lines of the first spray nozzle and the second spray nozzle is 5° to 150°; and a liquid film forming unit for forming a liquid film which flows from above to below on a surface of the holding plate.

A method of electroless atomic layer deposition is described. The method electrolessly generates a layer of sacrificial material on a surface of a first material. The method adds doses of a solution of a second material to the substrate. The method performs a galvanic exchange reaction to oxidize away the layer of the sacrificial material and deposit a layer of the second material on the surface of the first material. The method can be repeated for a plurality of iterations in order to deposit a desired thickness of the second material on the surface of the first material.

A method of electroless atomic layer deposition is described. The method electrolessly generates a layer of sacrificial material on a surface of a first material. The method adds doses of a solution of a second material to the substrate. The method performs a galvanic exchange reaction to oxidize away the layer of the sacrificial material and deposit a layer of the second material on the surface of the first material. The method can be repeated for a plurality of iterations in order to deposit a desired thickness of the second material on the surface of the first material.

The present invention provides anodes comprising an electrically conductive substrate, comprising at least one non-uniform surface; and a random network of silicon nanowires (Si NWs) chemically grown on said at least one non-uniform surface of the substrate, wherein the Si NWs have at least about 30% amorphous morphology, and methods of manufacturing of the anodes. Further provided are lithium ion batteries comprising said anodes.

The present invention provides anodes comprising an electrically conductive substrate, comprising at least one non-uniform surface; and a random network of silicon nanowires (Si NWs) chemically grown on said at least one non-uniform surface of the substrate, wherein the Si NWs have at least about 30% amorphous morphology, and methods of manufacturing of the anodes. Further provided are lithium ion batteries comprising said anodes.

An environmentally friendly method of coating copper nanowires to reduce oxidation and/or increase electrical/thermal conductivity of the copper nanowires. In one embodiment, a method for coating copper nanowires includes preparing a first solution including a dipolar aprotic organic compound, adding copper nanowires to the first solution under stirring while maintaining the first solution at a pre-determined temperature, preparing a second solution including an oxidation resistant metal, coating the copper nanowires in the oxidation resistant metal by adding the second solution to the first solution under stirring and while maintaining the first solution at the pre-determined temperature.