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CHONNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
School of Chemical Engineering

In 1990, Sony announced the commercial availability of their "lithium ion rechargeable battery" based on a carbon anode and a LiCoO₂cathode. The entire electrochemical process during charge/discharge would involve the reversible transfer of lithium ions between the two electrodes. A view of energy density and environmental aspect, and especially for the development of electric vehicle, lithium secondary battery has many advantages compared to the conventional alkaline or Ni/Cd battery. This is one of the most prospect research fields in the high-tech industry.
A capacitor is an electronic device which consists of two plates (electrically conductive material) separated by an insulator. The capacitor's value is largely determined by the total surface area of the plates and the distance between the plates (determined by the insulator's thickness). A capacitor's value is commonly referred to in microfarads, one millionth of a farad. It is expressed in micro farads because the farad is such a large amount of capacitance that it would be impractical to use in most situations.

As early as 1839, William grove discovered the basic operation principle of fuel cells by reserving water electrolysis to generate electricity from hydrogen and oxygen. A fuel cell is an electrochemical " device" that continuously converts chemical energy into electric energy for as long as fuel and oxidant are supplied. Unlike engines or batteries, a fuel cell does not need recharging, it operates quietly and efficiently, and it generates only power and drinking water, Thus, it is a so-called zero emission engine. Therefore, FCEV is actively developing by Toyota and Honda in Japan, respectively.
Solar energy cells are typically made of crystalline silicon, the kind used in computer microprocessors, sandwiched between electrodes. Silicon's orderly atomic structure allows electrons to shoot rapidly through the crystal to the electrodes. Silicon is expensive and must be processed in elaborate clean-room facilities, just like computer chips. However, Solar cell system should be developed more rapidly to save or to replace fossil fuels in the world.