Themed collection Electrochemical processes at the nanoscale: from fundamentals to applications

This special issue of Nanoscale presents the latest advances in the field of nanoelectrochemistry by leading experts across different disciplines and provides in-depth discussions.

STM-tip induced electrodeposition of metal nanoclusters can be applied not only in systems with liquid electrolytes but also in thin film solid state electrochemical systems.

In recent years, interesting nanoscale phenomena caused by physical or chemical effects due to local ion transfers near heterointerfaces using ionic conductors have been discovered, and the so-called “nanoionic devices” (which apply new functionalities gained by exploiting those phenomena) are being proposed.

The process of electrochemical phase formation at constant thermodynamic supersaturation is considered in terms of classical and atomistic nucleation theories.

Electrochemical interfaces between immiscible liquids have lately received renewed interest, both for gaining fundamental insight as well as for applications in nanomaterial synthesis.

This brief review provides an overview of existing advanced scanning probe microscopy techniques used to probe nanoscale electrochemistry in solid state materials.

Materials with dielectric properties at the macroscopic level can behave as solid electrolytes at the nanoscale, opening new perspectives for fundamental understanding and applications.

PtCo nanoparticles, having two atomic layers of stabilized Pt skin, supported on carbon black (Pt_2AL–PtCo/C) exhibited superlative mass activity for the CO-tolerant hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR), together with high robustness with respect to air exposure, as a novel anode catalyst in reformate gas-based polymer electrolyte fuel cells.

For tuning the electrical conductivity and effective use of these structures in future batteries, understanding this material system is of great importance as the chemical stability of the cubic Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ phase in the thin film system will control its effective use.

Two set and two reset modes of CBRAM were investigated using in situ TEM.

A nano decision maker for future computer architecture, the first implementation of the theoretical ‘tug of war’ computing model in an electronic device.

AFM is a powerful tool suitable for in situ and operando studies of structural changes and solid-electrolyte interphase formation in practical battery electrodes containing polymer binder and carbon additive.

We describe a new method that enables reactive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of electrochemical processes and apply it to study electrochemical metallization cells and the effect of device geometry on switching timescales.

Resistive switching due to Pd migration in a Pd/SiO_x:Pd/Pd planar junction. Bright Pd protrusions were derived from the anode during SET and small voids were formed between filaments. The void regions were enlarged and Pd filaments retreated after RESET.

The introduction of a nanoscale diffusion limiting layer (DLL) into tantalum oxide based memristors leads to improved analog resistive switching.

The SEI-formation on graphitic electrodes operated as an Li⁺-ion battery anode in a standard 1 M LiPF₆ EC/DMC (1 : 1) electrolyte has been studied in situ by EC-STM.

Investigation of slightly Fe-doped SrTiO₃ thin films by means of impedance spectroscopy under bias voltage revealed an uncommon low frequency “inductive loop” which can be understood in terms of bias induced ion motion.

We investigate by in situ scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) the potential dependence of the electrochemical dealloying of NiPd monoatomic layers electrodeposited on Au(111).

Electrodeposition of dysprosium layers from a tailored guanidinium based ionic liquid was characterized and optimized for magnetic applications.

Resistive switching and conducting filament formation in solid polymer electrolyte based planar-type atomic switches have been investigated by means of current-voltage measurements and scanning electron microscopy observations.

We demonstrate that nanoscale redox reactions rather than purely electronic effects are responsible for resistive switching in Pt/Nb:SrTiO₃ junctions.

Temperature induced transformation of hydrous RuO₂ layers on Ru(0001) leads mostly to flat metallic Ru islands and to (100) and (111) oriented RuO₂ nano particles.

Self-assembly of polymer-template nanoparticle composites followed electrooxidation of the nanoparticles yielded nanoparticle imprinted matrices that recognized selectively nanoparticles with the same size and the same ligand shell as the template nanoparticles.

The electrochemical reactions triggering resistive switching in conductive-bridge resistive random access memory (CBRAM) are spatially confined in few tens of nm³. In this work, a combination of two- and three-dimensional scanning probe microscopy techniques are used to study the conductive filament formation, rupture and its nanoscopic structural rearrangements.

Combining voltage dependent STM imaging with ab initio DFT calculations to identify the exact termination of an electro catalyst.

Fabrication of nanoelectrode arrays from the electrolysis of impacting AgBr nanoparticles from suspension in aqueous solution.

The broken ferroelectric hysteresis loop achieved from a Hf_0.4Zr_0.6O₂ film was interpreted based on the first order phase transition theory.