Electrochemical Growth of Mg(OH) x Layered Films Stacked Parallel to the Substrates and Their Thermal Conversion to (111)-Oriented Nanoporous MgO Films.

Abstract

Stacking layered metal hydroxide films parallel to a substrate is challenging. Here, we demonstrate a simple and rapid electrodeposition method for stacking magnesium hydroxide layered films. Room-temperature cathodic electrolysis (40 mA cm–2) in a Mg(NO3)2 aqueous solution induces the deposition of ⟨001⟩-oriented Mg(OH)x layered films stacked parallel to the substrate at the deposition rate of ∼2 μm min–1. The obtained Mg(OH)x layered films undergo an overall oriented transformation by heat treatment to form ⟨111⟩-oriented nanoporous MgO films.