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Electrochemical Synthesis and Characterization of Silicon thin Films for Energy Conversion

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Abstract

Currently, research is being actively conducted aimed at developing materials and devices for obtaining and storing energy from renewable sources. In particular, attention is paid to the conversion of solar energy with a view to its subsequent storage in lithium-ion current sources or hydrogen storage devices. In this regard, the possibility of electrochemical synthesis of photoelectroactive thin silicon films on glassy carbon from the low-melting LiCl-KCl-CsCl-K2SiF6 electrolyte at a temperature of 540 °C was studied in this article. Experimental samples of thin silicon films were obtained from the studied electrolyte depending on the electrolysis parameters; their morphology and elemental composition have been studied by means of scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The pulsed mode of electrodeposition of the densest film was chosen, including: an anode treatment of the surface of the working electrode at a current density of 14.3 mA/cm2 during 5 s, after which pulsed electrolysis was carried out at a cathode current density of 28.5 mA/cm2 for 30 min with periodic current interruptions. The photoelectric effect of obtained silicon film was studied. A relatively high photosensitivity of the sample was shown due to an increased specific surface area and its energy inhomogeneity. Then, the base properties of the obtained sample were determined by means of atomic emission spectroscopy, visual photoelectron microscopy with plasma treatment of the sample with argon, laser atomic emission spectrometry, and atomic force electron microscopy.

Highlights

• Electrochemical synthesis.

• Silicon thin films were deposited.

• Films were tested.

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Data Availability

The authors declare that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its supplementary information are available by request.

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Acknowledgements

The equipment of Shared Access Centers «Modern nanotechnology» (Ural Federal University) and «Composition of compounds» (Institute of High-Temperature Electrochemistry UB RAS) was used in this study. The authors thank Natalia Leonova for determining the photoelectric effect of the silicon sample. This work was carried out in the frame of the State Assignment number 075-03-2023-006 dated 16.01.2023 (the theme number FEUZ-2020-0037).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of High-Temperature Electrochemistry UB RAS, Ekaterinburg, 620002, Russia

    Olga B. Pavlenko, Andrey V. Suzdaltsev & Yury P. Zaikov

  2. Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, 620002, Russia

    Olga B. Pavlenko, Andrey V. Suzdaltsev, Yulia A. Parasotchenko & Yury P. Zaikov

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  1. Olga B. Pavlenko
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  2. Andrey V. Suzdaltsev
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Contributions

Olga B. Pavlenko was involved in obtaining precipitation, conducting analyzes and writing the original text. Andrey V. Suzdaltsev was engaged in setting the research problem and correcting the text of the article. Yulia A. Parasotchenko was engaged in determining the parameters of electrodeposition. Yury P. Zaikov was responsible for scientific management. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Olga B. Pavlenko.

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Pavlenko, O.B., Suzdaltsev, A.V., Parasotchenko, Y.A. et al. Electrochemical Synthesis and Characterization of Silicon thin Films for Energy Conversion. Silicon 15, 7765–7770 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-023-02615-z

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