A comprehensive design schedule for electrosprayed thin films with different surface morphologies

Abstract. Electrospraying, a technique where a liquid jet breaks up into droplets under the influence of electrical forces, is outstanding because of its high deposition efficiency and ability to achieve thin films of different surface morphologies. Nowadays, the technique is applied in the deposition of thin films for nanoelectronics in Li-ion batteries, fuel cells and solar cells where performance of the deposited layers is determined by their morphologies. In this study, a literature survey has been conducted from which a comprehensive design schedule for electrosprayed thin films has been developed. In summary different porous and dense morphologies can be produced from the developed design schedule. Electrospray experiments have also been performed by altering different parameters as per the developed schedule. Using lithium salt precursor solutions, different thin films have been deposited on aluminium foil substrates and their characterization performed using scanning electron microscopy. The surface morphologies of the prepared thin films agree with the predictions of the developed design schedule.