Thin-layer electrolyte in an electrochemical device such as a lithium-ion battery, said electrolyte comprising a porous inorganic layer impregnated with a phase carrying lithium ions,

characterized in that said porous inorganic layer has an interconnected network of open pores.

An aspect of the present disclosure is a photoelectrochemical device that includes a first cell that includes a first semiconductor alloy, a capping layer that includes a second semiconductor alloy, and a passivating layer that includes a third semiconductor alloy, where the passivating layer is positioned between the first cell and the capping layer, and at least a portion of the capping layer is configured to be in direct contact with an electrolyte.

A photochemical electrode includes: an electrically conductive layer; and a photoexcitation material layer provided over the electrically conductive layer and including a photoexcitation material, wherein the photoexcitation material layer is one of a first photoexcitation material layer in which a potential of the conduction band minimum decreases from a second surface opposite to a first surface on the side of the electrically conductive layer toward the first surface and a second photoexcitation material layer in which a potential of the valence band maximum decreases from the second surface toward the first surface.

It is described a method for realizing catalytically active electrochemical electrodes with maximized surface area. In the method, InGaN is deposited epitaxially in form of a thin layer on a Silicon substrate exposing a (111) crystal fac, thus forcing the InGaN electrode material to grow exposing a catalytically active surface. The substrate is then removed, the InGaN layer is made into fragments and these are transferred onto a conductive support with one-, two- or three-dimensional structure which can be a wire, a two-dimensional conductive foil which, possibly folded, or a three-dimensional conductive fabric, sponge or cage-like structure. It is thus possible to obtain an InGaN-based electrode with increased surface area and exposing surfaces with high catalytic activity.

A photochemical electrode includes: an electrically-conductive layer; and a photo-excited material layer including a photo-excited material provided over the electrically-conductive layer, wherein in a surface of the photo-excited material layer, a lattice plane having highest atomic density in a crystal structure of the photo-excited material is oriented in a surface direction of the surface of the photo-excited material layer.

The present disclosure relates to a composition that includes, in order: a first layer that includes MA.sub.w; a second layer that includes MO.sub.yA.sub.z; and a third layer that includes MO.sub.x, where M includes a transition metal, A includes at least one of sulfur, selenium, and/or tellurium, w is between greater than zero and less than or equal to five, x is between greater than zero and less than or equal to five, y is between greater than zero and less than or equal to five, and z is between greater than zero and less than or equal to five. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the transition metal may include at least one of molybdenum and/or tungsten. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, A may be sulfur.

Devices for photoelectrodes for water splitting based on indium nanowires on flexible substrates as well as methods of manufacture by transferring nanowire arrays to flexible substrates.

An electronic device includes a substrate and at least two electrodes spaced by a nanogap, wherein the at least two electrodes are bridged by at least one nanoparticle and wherein the at least one nanoparticle has an overlap area with the at least two electrodes higher than 2% of the area of the at least one nanoparticle. A method of manufacturing of the electronic device and the use of the electronic device in photodetector, transistor, phototransistor, optical modulator, electrical diode, photovoltaic cell or electroluminescent component are also described.

A photosynthesis apparatus includes a groove part formed in a semiconductor substrate; a first conductive type area formed on one side surface of the groove part; a second conductive type area formed on another side surface of the groove part; an oxidation electrode formed in contact with the first conductive type area on the one side surface; a reduction electrode formed in contact with the second conductive type area on the other side surface; and a proton diaphragm formed at a center part of the groove part. Water including carbon dioxide is supplied to the groove part, and light is radiated to the oxidation electrode or the reduction electrode to generate oxygen and a hydrogen ion from the water at the oxidation electrode, and the generated hydrogen ion penetrates the proton diaphragm and reacts with the carbon dioxide to generate formic acid at the reduction electrode.

It is described a method for realizing catalytically active electrochemical electrodes with maximized surface area. In the method, InGaN is deposited epitaxially in form of a thin layer on a Silicon substrate exposing a (111) crstal fac, thus forcing the InGaN electrode material to grow exposing a catalytically active surface. The substrate is then removed, the InGaN layer is made into fragments and these are transferred onto a conductive support with one-, two- or three-dimensional structure which can be a wire, a two-dimensional conductive foil which, possibly folded, or a three-dimensional conductive fabric, sponge or cage-like structure. It is thus possible to obtain an InGaN-based electrode with increased surface area and exposing surfaces with high catalytic activity.