I/WE CLAIM:
1. A process for fabricating a titanium-based anode current collector, the process comprising:
disposing a predetermined shape of a titanium foil and a noble metal into an electrolyte, wherein the titanium foil is to act as an anode, the noble metal is to act as a cathode, and the electrolyte is a one of fluoride-based and an ethylene glycol-based electrolyte;
electrically connecting the titanium foil and the noble metal through a potentiostat; and
applying varying voltages by the potentiostat for a predetermined time for electrochemically anodizing the titanium foil to form, therefrom, titanium oxide tubes having a predetermined aspect ratio.
2. The process for fabricating the titanium-based anode current collector as claimed in claim 1, comprising:
sonicating the titanium oxide tubes in Millipore water; and
drying the titanium oxide tubes;
wherein the sonicating and drying is performed after the anodizing.
3. The process for fabricating the titanium-based anode current collector as claimed in claim 1, comprises pretreating the titanium foil before the electrochemical anodization of the titanium anode current collector, the pretreating comprising:
pickling the titanium foil with oxalic acid;
sonicating the titanium foil in acetone, isopropanol and Millipore water;
drying the titanium foil.
4. The process for fabricating the titanium-based anode current collector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
electrodepositing a triphenyl phosphate additive on the titanium oxide tubes, wherein the electrodepositing comprises:
placing, in an electrolyte solution, the titanium oxide tubes as a working electrode, a platinum-based counter electrode, and a silver-based reference electrode;
electrically connecting the titanium oxide tubes working electrode, the platinum-based counter electrode, and the silver-based reference electrode through a potentiostat; and
exchanging ions between the titanium oxide tubes working electrode and the platinum-based counter electrode on applying a voltage by the potentiostat.
5. The process for fabricating the titanium-based anode current collector as claimed in claim 3, comprising mixing trimethyl phosphate with the triphenyl phosphate additive to electrodeposit the triphenyl phosphate additive on the titanium oxide tubes.
6. A power unit, comprising:
a casing having:
an electrolyte:
a cathode disposed in the electrolyte at one end of the casing, the cathode havingan aluminium-based cathode current collector fixedly attached to the cathode, wherein the aluminium-based cathode current collector is electrochemically anodized to form alumina tubes; an anode disposed in the electrolyte at another end of the casing, the anode having a titanium-based anode current collector fixedly attached to the anode, wherein the titanium-based anode current collector is electrochemically anodized to form titanium oxide tubes; and
a separator disposed in the electrolyte to separate the cathode and the anode.
7. The power unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the titanium-based anode current collector has a triphenyl phosphate additive electrodeposited thereon.
8. The power unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the aluminium-based cathode current collector has a triphenyl phosphate additive electrodeposited thereon.