Preparation of Boron Doped Fullerene Film by a Thermal Evaporation Technique using Argon Plasma Treatment and Its Electrochemical Application

Abstract

Boron doped fullerene C60 (B:C60) films were prepared by the thermal evaporation of C60 powder using argon plasma treatment. The morphology and structural characteristics of the thin films were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrochemical application of the boron doped fullerene film as a coating layer for silicon anodes in lithium ion batteries was also investigated. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements were applied to the B:C60 coated silicon electrodes at a scan rate of 0.05 mVs-1. The CV results show that the B:C60 coating layer act as a passivation layer with respect to the insertion and extraction of lithium ions into the silicon film electrode.