Electrochemical characterizations of Ti-Ni thin films prepared by ion beam sputtering

Ti-Ni hydrogen storage thin films were prepared by ion beam sputtering with variant composition under different temperatures, and their electrochemical characterizations have been studied. Their X-ray diffractive results indicate that the structures of the thin films prepared by ion beam sputtering are amorphous at room temperature and the films have tight adhesion to the substrate, that their structures are still amorphous after 50 cycles of charging and discharging. The structures of thin films deposited at 350 degree C become crystalline, and their discharge capacity is greater than that of amorphous films, but the cycling stability is lower than that of amorphous films