Current Measurements as a Direct Diagnostic for Sub-Monolayer Growth of Nanoparticle Films in Non-Polar Electrophoretic Deposition

Abstract

Electrophoretic current densities and nanoparticle densities were measured during and after the electrophoretic deposition of iron oxide nanoparticles and were compared to infer the relationship between the quantity of deposited nanoparticles and the measured current. This information led to an assessment of the primary contributors to the measured current during non-polar solvent-based electrophoretic deposition. Such information was employed to monitor and to control sub-monolayer growth of nanoparticle films. Subsequently, the average charge magnitude of each suspended colloidal nanoparticle was calculated to be ±3.2 ± 0.3 electron charges.