Apparatus and Associated Methods

Abstract

An apparatus including an open interconnected wall structure having one or more pores, the open interconnected wall structure including a first electrode material, the pores including an electrolyte and a second electrode material, wherein the electrolyte and second electrode material are supported on the first electrode material within the pores such that the first electrode material is separated from the second electrode material by the electrolyte to enable the generation and/or storage of electrical energy using the apparatus.

1 . A method of making an apparatus, the method comprising:
 depositing an electrolyte and a second electrode material into two or more pores of a substrate having an open interconnected wall structure comprising a first electrode material, the pores comprising the electrolyte and the second electrode material in a first of the two or more pores and a different second electrode material in a second of the two or more pores, wherein the electrolyte and each of the second electrode materials are supported on the first electrode material within the two or more pores such that:   the first electrode material is separated from the second electrode material in the first of the two or more pores by the electrolyte to form a battery structure for generation of electrical energy from the first of the two or more pores; and   the first electrode material is separated from the second electrode material in the second of the two pores by the electrolyte to form a capacitor structure for storage of electrical energy in the second of the two or more pores.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises forming the open interconnected wall structure before deposition of the electrolyte and second electrode material. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein forming the open interconnected wall structure comprises:
 depositing the first electrode material in the interconnected spaces between and defined by a plurality of particles of a lattice to create an interconnected wall structure comprising the first electrode material; and   removing the plurality of particles to create two or more pores in the interconnected wall structure to create an open interconnected wall structure comprising the first electrode material.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein forming the open interconnected wall structure comprises coating the surfaces of a plurality of particles of a lattice, a block-copolymer, a sponge, or a base substrate with the first electrode material, wherein:
 the lattice, the block co-polymer, the sponge, or the base substrate has an open interconnected wall structure comprising two or more pores; and   the coating provides an open interconnected wall structure comprising the first electrode material.   
     
     
         5 . A computer program, recorded on a carrier, the computer program comprising computer code configured to control the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode material and the second electrode material each comprise a first active material and a second active material respectively, wherein at least one of the first active material and the second active material comprises an electrically insulating lithium-based compound configured for use in generation and/or storage of electrons. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein each of the first active material and the second active material are deposited using one or more of: atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and electrochemical deposition. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second electrode material comprises a charge collection material in physical contact with an active material of the first and/or second electrode material. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is a lithium salt. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the open interconnected wall structure has a gyroid structure defined by a configuration of spherical particles that form a lattice and wherein the gyroid structure is trigonometrically approximated by the equation cos x·sin y+cos y·sin z+cos z·sin x=0. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the gyroid structure comprises a block copolymer comprising polyfluorostyrene and a polylactide. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the gyroid structure comprises a cubic bicontinuous double gyroid phase of poly(4-fluorostyrene)-b-poly(D,L-lactide). 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 etching the first electrode material before and/or after removing the plurality of particles. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 etching the base substrate to produce the two or more pores. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein removing the plurality of particles comprises one or more of: etching, melting, and dissolving the plurality of particles. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein forming the open interconnected wall structure further comprises removing the plurality of particles of the lattice, the block co-polymer, the sponge or the base substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein removing the plurality of particles of the lattice, the block co-polymer, the sponge or the base substrate comprises one or more of: etching, melting, and dissolving the plurality of particles of the lattice, the block co-polymer, the sponge or the base substrate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 etching the first electrode material before and/or after removing the plurality of particles of the lattice, the block co-polymer, the sponge or the base substrate.