Opportunities for Atomic Layer Deposition in Emerging Energy Technologies

The demand for new and more efficient energy technologies has motivated the need to design and construct materials at the nanoscale. Because it allows for the synthesis of materials with atomic-level control over nanostructure and composition, atomic layer deposition (ALD) will play an important role in the realization of precise nanoscale design. In this Perspective, we highlight successful uses of ALD toward improving the performance of materials for energy capture, storage, and consumption. We identify five roles that ALD can play in the synthesis and study of energy technologies: fabrication of active materials, modification of surface properties, deposition of barrier and encapsulation layers, synthesis of intricate nanostructures, and elucidation of fundamental material–property relations. Moreover, we offer our perspective on how ALD will fit into the future study, design, and fabrication of nanomaterials for sustainable energy technologies.