A method of adhering a cover layer to a substrate includes forming an array of nano-structures on a substrate. A flowable material is applied to the substrate, the flowable material substantially enveloping the nano-structures on the substrate. The flowable material is solidified to form a cover layer on the substrate, the cover layer being anchored to the substrate via the nano-structures.

A metal nanolaminate includes a plurality of units stacked in a longitudinal direction of the metal nanolaminate. Each of the units includes a first layer and a second layer stacked in the longitudinal direction. The first layer includes a first metal material formed of a first metallic element and the second layer includes the first metal material and a second metal material formed of a second metallic element. Each of the first layer and the second layer has a thickness of at least 5 nm but less than 100 nm in the longitudinal direction.

A lithium-ion battery having an anode including an array of nanowires electrochemically coated with a polymer electrolyte, and surrounded by a cathode matrix, forming thereby interpenetrating electrodes, wherein the diffusion length of the Li.sup.+ ions is significantly decreased, leading to faster charging/discharging, greater reversibility, and longer battery lifetime, is described. The battery design is applicable to a variety of battery materials. Methods for directly electrodepositing Cu.sub.2Sb from aqueous solutions at room temperature using citric acid as a complexing agent to form an array of nanowires for the anode, are also described. Conformal coating of poly-[Zn(4-vinyl-4′methyl-2,2′-bipyridine).sub.3](PF.sub.6).sub.2 by electroreductive polymerization onto films and high-aspect ratio nanowire arrays for a solid-state electrolyte is also described, as is reductive electropolymerization of a variety of vinyl monomers, such as those containing the acrylate functional group. Such materials display limited electronic conductivity but significant lithium ion conductivity. Cathode materials may include oxides, such as lithium cobalt oxide, lithium magnesium oxide, or lithium tin oxide, as examples, or phosphates, such as LiFePO.sub.4, as an example.

Disclosed herein are dendritically porous three-dimensional structures, including hierarchical dendritically porous three-dimensional structures. The structures include metal foams and graphite structures, and are useful in energy storage devices as well as chemical catalysis.

Disclosed embodiments provide a method and apparatus for continuous production of micro/nanoscale particles using roll-to-roll manufacturing in combination with electroplating. The roll-to-roll process can move a mechanically flexible reel stock material along rotating elements designed to position the material for various additive, subtractive, and modification processes. In accordance with at least one embodiment, processes applied at various stations may include sputtering, electroplating, and/or etching.

Surface conduction in porous media can drastically alter the stability and morphology of electrodeposition at high rates, above the diffusion-limited current. Above the limiting current, surface conduction inhibits growth in the positive membrane and produces irregular dendrites, while it enhances growth and suppresses dendrites behind a deionization shock in the negative membrane. The discovery of uniform growth contradicts quasi-steady “leaky membrane” models, which are in the same universality class as unstable Laplacian growth, and indicates the importance of transient electro-diffusion or electro-osmotic dispersion. Shock electrodeposition could be exploited for high-rate recharging of metal batteries or manufacturing of metal matrix composite coatings.

Disclosed is a technical idea of forming ruthenium and ruthenium-cobalt alloy nanowires having various diameters using electroplating. More particularly, a technology of forming ruthenium and ruthenium-cobalt alloy nanowires on a porous template, on pores of which nanotubes are deposited using atomic layer deposition (ALD), using electroplating, and annealing the ruthenium and ruthenium-cobalt alloy nanowires to form ruthenium-cobalt alloy nanowires having various diameters.

Disclosed are a cobalt-tungsten alloy and a method of fabricating the same. More particularly, cobalt-tungsten alloy nanowires according to an embodiment are formed using an electroplating method, a grain structure of the cobalt-tungsten alloy nanowires is controlled according to the content of tungsten, and the electrical resistivity of the cobalt-tungsten alloy nanowires can be reduced through annealing.

A nanowire structure is manufactured by forming islands of conductive material on a substrate, and a conductive sacrificial layer in the space between conductive islands. The conductive islands include an anodic etch barrier layer. An anodizable layer is formed, over the conductive islands and sacrificial layer, and anodized to form a porous template. Nanowires are formed in regions of the porous template that overlie the conductive islands. Removal of the porous template and sacrificial layer leaves a nanowire structure including isolated groups of nanowires connected to respective conductive islands which function as current collectors. Respective stacks of conductive and insulator layers are formed over different groups of the nanowires to form respective capacitors that are electrically isolated from one another. A monolithic component may thus be formed including an array of isolated capacitors formed over nanowires.

A fine metal linear body is provided in which the sintering temperature is lower than that in conventional examples. The fine metal linear body has a length of 0.5 to 200 .Math.m and a thickness of 30 nm to 10 .Math.m. When a length of a crystal of a metal constituting the fine metal linear body, in a direction in which the fine metal linear body extends, is taken as X, and a length thereof in a direction orthogonal to the direction is taken as Y, an X/Y value, which is a ratio of the X to the Y, is 4 or less, in three boundary regions when dividing the length of the fine metal linear body into four equal parts along the extending direction.