Disclosed are novel electrolytes, and techniques for making and devices using such electrolytes, which are based on compressed gas solvents. Unlike conventional electrolytes, disclosed electrolytes are based on compressed gas solvents mixed with various salts, referred to as compressed gas electrolytes. Various embodiments of a compressed gas solvent includes a material that is in a gas phase and has a vapor pressure above an atmospheric pressure at a room temperature. The disclosed compressed gas electrolytes can have wide electrochemical potential windows, high conductivity, low temperature capability and/or high pressure solvent properties. Examples of a class of compressed gases that can be used as solvent for electrolytes include hydrofluorocarbons, in particular fluoromethane, difluoromethane, tetrafluoroethane, pentafluoroethane. Also disclosed are battery and supercapacitor structures that use compressed gas solvent-based electrolytes, techniques for constructing such energy storage devices. Techniques for electroplating difficult-to-deposit materials using compressed gas electrolytes as an electroplating bath are also disclosed.

Systems and methods for generating return journey notifications include obtaining a request for navigational directions to a target destination. An outbound journey route from an initial location to the target destination can be determined, wherein the outbound journey route includes an estimated outbound journey time. A return journey route from the target destination to a return destination can be determined, wherein the return journey route includes an estimated return journey time. The outbound journey route and/or return journey route can be determined at least in part from one or more of current traffic conditions or historical traffic conditions. One or more notifications regarding the return journey route can be generated when comparing the estimated outbound journey time to the estimated return journey time results in a determination that one or more predetermined criteria are met.

Electroplating process is described for coating a ferrous alloy steel cathode substrate with an aluminum coating, the process comprises: a) immersing an aluminum anode substrate in a plating bath formulation comprising: a source of aluminum, an ionic liquid, a brightening agent, and a metal-salt compound; b) etching the cathode substrate by immersing it into the aluminum plating bath and conducting an anodic polarization step; c) electroplating the etched cathode substrate with the aluminum plating bath formulation; and d) rinsing with alcohol and water, and drying. Preferably, the process further comprises a heat treatment applied to the aluminum coated ferrous steel alloy obtained in step d).

Disclosed are novel electrolytes, and techniques for making and devices using such electrolytes, which are based on compressed gas solvents. Unlike conventional electrolytes, disclosed electrolytes are based on compressed gas solvents mixed with various salts, referred to as compressed gas electrolytes. Various embodiments of a compressed gas solvent includes a material that is in a gas phase and has a vapor pressure above an atmospheric pressure at a room temperature. The disclosed compressed gas electrolytes can have wide electrochemical potential windows, high conductivity, low temperature capability and/or high pressure solvent properties.

The invention relates to a method for producing a metal chalcogenide thin film electrode, comprising the steps: (a) contacting a metal or metal oxide with an elementary halogen in a non-aqueous solvent, producing a metal halide compound in the solution, (b) applying a negative electric voltage to an electrically conducting or semiconducting substrate which is in contact with the solution from step (a), and (c) during and/or after step (b) contacting the substrate with an elementary chalcogen forming a metal chalcogenide layer on the substrate. The invention also relates to a metal chalcogenide thin film electrode which can be produced by the method and its use as an anode for releasing oxygen during (photo)electrochemical water splitting.

The invention relates to a method for plating a recess in a substrate, a device for plating a recess in a substrate and a system for plating a recess in a substrate comprising the device. The method for plating a recess in a substrate comprises the following steps: Providing a substrate with a substrate surface comprising at least one recess, applying a replacement gas to the recess to replace an amount of ambient gas in the recess to at least partially clear the recess from the ambient gas, applying a processing fluid to the recess, wherein the replacement gas dissolves in the processing fluid to at least partially clear the recess from the replacement gas, and plating the recess.

A film that contains Ni.sub.2O.sub.3H as a main component.

An electrolytic processing jig configured to perform an electrolytic processing on a processing target substrate by using a processing liquid supplied to the processing target substrate includes a base body having a flat plate shape; and a direct electrode provided on a front surface of the base body and configured to be brought into contact with the processing liquid to apply a voltage between the processing target substrate and the direct electrode. An irregularity pattern is formed on a front surface of the electrolytic processing jig at a processing target substrate side.

The invention relates to a method for plating a recess in a substrate, a device for plating a recess in a substrate and a system for plating a recess in a substrate comprising the device. The method for plating a recess in a substrate comprises the following steps: a) Providing a substrate with a substrate surface comprising at least one recess, b) applying a replacement gas to the recess to replace an amount of ambient gas in the recess to at least partially clear the recess from the ambient gas, c) applying a processing fluid to the recess, wherein the replacement gas dissolves in the processing fluid to at least partially clear the recess from the replacement gas, and d) plating the recess.

A method of plating a substrate, such as a wafer, by applying a voltage between the substrate and an anode is disclosed. The plating method includes: preparing a substrate having a recess formed in a surface thereof, a conductive layer being formed in at least a part of the recess; placing an insoluble anode and the substrate in contact with a copper sulfate plating solution containing an additive; applying a predetermined plating voltage between the substrate and the insoluble anode by a plating power source to plate the substrate; and shutting off a reverse electric current, which flows from the insoluble anode to the substrate via the plating power source, by a diode disposed between the insoluble anode and the substrate when the predetermined plating voltage is not applied.