Various rough surfaces coated with titanium oxide nanoparticles and perfluoroalkyl methacrylic copolymer were conducted to explore the influence of surface roughness on the performance of water- and oil-repellence. Surface characteristics determined from nitrogen physisorption at −196°C showed that the surface area and pore volume increased significantly with the extent of nanoparticle ratio, indicating an increase of surface roughness. Due to the surface nano-coating, the maximum contact angles of water and ethylene glycol (EG) droplets increased up to 56 and 48%, respectively, e.g. from 105° to 164° for water droplets and from 96° to 144° for EG droplets. The excellent water- and oil-repellence of the prepared surfaces was ascribed to this increase of surface roughness and fluorinated-contained surface. Compared with Wenzel model, the Cassie model yielded a fairly good fit to the simulation of contact angle with surface roughness. However, a derivation of 3°–10° at higher roughness still existed. This phenomenon was very likely due to the surface heterogeneity with different pore size distributions of the fractal surfaces. In this case, it was unfavorable for super repellency from rough surface with larger mesopore fraction because of its capillary condensation, reflecting that micropore provided more air resistance against wettability.

Films of well-ordered crystalline copper oxide (CuO) nanofibril arrays were synthesized using a procedure involving electrodeposition followed by a gas-solid reaction. Analyses showed that the nanocrystalline CuO nanofibrils with a mean length of 8 μm have an average density of 107–108/cm2. Photoluminescence measurements showed a main peak in the visible light band at 410 nm, and the band gap energy was estimated to be 1.67 eV. It was found that the film of aligned CuO nanofibrils has typical Fowler–Nordheim plots in the follow-up electron field emission test. Typical turn-on voltage was detected at ∼6 V/μm with an emission area of 1 mm2. The Fowler–Nordheim model was employed to analyze the I–V data obtained. The work function of the nanofibrils was estimated to be in the range of 4.1–4.3 eV.

One-dimensional and well-ordered CuO nanofiber arrays have been synthesized by a processing of self-catalytic growth. Using polycarbonate (PC) membrane as a template, copper nuclei sites Cu(111) were uniformly deposited on copper substrate via a high voltage input (electric field: 15 V/cm) in a copper sulphate solution. According to the pore diameter of PC membranes, two different sizes of copper nuclei could be well-controlled in ranges of 50 to 60 and 100 to 150 nm. With heat treatment in oxygen atmosphere, the electrodeposited copper nuclei were transformed into CuO nanofiber arrays. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy analyses showed that the nanocrystalline CuO nanofibers with a mean length of 8 μm had an average order of 107–108/cm2 in density, and their average diameters were accorded with the size of Cu nuclei.

Three types of CuO nanostructures—the nanorod, nanofiber, and nanoparticle—have been grown by using a self-catalytic growth process at 400, 500, and 600 °C, respectively. Field-emission (FE) properties of the CuO nanostructures were investigated. The results indicated that the FE current was significantly affected by the morphologies of the CuO samples. Typical turn-on voltage for the CuO nanofiber array was detected at about 6–7 V/μm with an emission area of 1 mm2. Based on Fowler–Nordheim plot, the values of work function for the nanofiber array were estimated in ranges of 0.56 to 2.62 and 0.30 to 1.39 eV from a two-stage linearity plot. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed no obvious changes in chemical composition of the nanofiber array before and after FE tests. According to the analyses, the highly ordered CuO nanofiber array can be a promising candidate for FE emitters.

An L8 experimental design matrix was used to investigate the effects of seven different control factors on the performance of Li/LiCoO2 rechargeable cells. These factors included the source of LiCoO2, type of conductive additives, ratio of carbon black, positive electrode density, interelectrode spacing, charging voltage, and electrolyte system. The contribution of individual control factor to cell cycle life is determined by the Taguchi methods. From the results of Taguchi analysis, there are four main control factors that have a great impact on the cell performance. It is shown that the source of LiCoO2, type of conductive additives, ratio of carbon black, and charging voltage have a significant contribution to cell performance.

The half-cell voltage of carbon is measured by a three-electrode technique. In this study, the effects of cathode/anode mass ratio and charging patterns on the carbon half-cell voltages are investigated by factorial experimental design. From the results of analysis-of-variance (ANOVA), the top voltage of charge and the cathode/anode mass ratio are the major factors which influence the minimum half-cell voltage of carbon during charge.

Lithium cobalt oxide, LiCoO2, of different particle-size distributions, has been studied in the Li/LiCoO2 rechargeable battery system. The particle size influences the cycle stability. Upon cycling, the voltage drop contributed to the ohmic and polarization of charge/discharge processes were evaluated by current interrupt method.

Lithium nickel oxide, LiNiO2, with different physical properties including crystalline phase, CV curve and particle-size distribution were characterized. LiNiO2 with spherical agglomerates were constructed by ∼0.1 μm fine particles and their cycling stability showed to depend on the particle-size distribution when compared at different end-voltage and cycling rates.

The electrochemical characteristics of high-temperature (HT) LiCoO2 (900 °C) and low-temperature (LT) LiCoO2 (450 °C) were studied. From cyclic voltammetry results, lithium intercalating into LT-LiCoO2 generates two current peaks at 3.8 and 3.3 V, respectively, which is contrast to the intercalation of lithium into HT-LiCoO2. The resistance of lithium extraction is smaller than that of lithium insertion. The diffusion coefficients of Li+ ions in LiCoO2 have an order of 109− cm2/s.

The lithium intercalated carbons (LixC6) have replaced the metallic lithium negative electrodes in secondary lithium batteries. In order to improve high energy density and long cycle life, it is necessary to find those carbonaceous materials that have an excellent lithium intercalation and de-intercalation capacity. In this work, the electrochemical behaviour of various cokes in ethylene carbonate (EC) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) electrolyte were investigated by charge and discharge cycling processes and cyclic voltammetry technique. The petroleum coke (C342) has the highest capacity during cycling and the lowest irreversible capacity loss during the first cycle. Cyclic voltammetry revealed that the cycle efficiencies of three cokes are very high.