One-step Electrodeposition Process Research Articles

One-step electrodeposition of a self-cleaning and corrosion resistant Ni/WS2superhydrophobic surface

A robust superhydrophobic coating based on Ni/WS2was fabricated successfully through a simple one-step electrodeposition process. This metal-caramic composite coating showed excellent self-cleaning and corrosion resistance properties.

Corrosion behaviour of super-hydrophobic electrodeposited nickel–cobalt alloy film

Hierarchical super-hydrophobic Ni–Co film with enhanced corrosion resistance was fabricated on a copper substrate by one-step electrodeposition process. The contact angle and water repellence properties of the Ni–Co film were measured to determine its wettability. The Ni–Co film exhibited excellent super-hydrophobic properties with a static water contact angle of 158° and a sliding angle of ≤5°. The corrosion performance of the super-hydrophobic surface (SHS) was investigated by electrochemical potentiodynamic measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in NaCl solution (3.5wt.%). Moreover, to study the long-term stability of the super-hydrophobic film, SHS samples were immersed into NaCl solution and their corrosion behaviour was investigated by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Additionally, the changes of surface wettability were also monitored over the whole immersion time up to 11 days. Experimental results indicated that super-hydrophobic samples had much more corrosion resistance in comparison with freshly prepared samples or the bare substrate.

Fabrication and characterization of copper–indium–diselenide (CuInSe2, CIS) thin film using one-step electro-deposition process

We had successfully fabricated CuInSe2 (CIS) thin film by electro-deposition technique. Electro-deposited ternary selenide precursor was thermally annealed under nitrogen conditions to form CuInSe2 films. The structure, composition, chemical state and optical characterization of CuInSe2 films were measured using several techniques, including Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Atomic emission spectroscopy (AES), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Ultraviolet Spectrophotometry (UV) and electrochemical workstation. The results showed that the CuInSe2 thin films formed using electro-deposition had dense grain structure whose size was various with the increase of the deposited voltage and annealing temperature. The band gap of CuInSe2 was 1.43 eV when deposition voltage was 1.7 V, and CIS film exhibited the most excellent property.

Electrochemically Synthesized Sb/Sb2O3 Composites as High-Capacity Anode Materials Utilizing a Reversible Conversion Reaction for Na-Ion Batteries.

Sb/Sb2O3 composites are synthesized by a one-step electrodeposition process from an aqueous electrolytic bath containing a potassium antimony tartrate complex. The synthesis process involves the electrodeposition of Sb simultaneously with the chemical deposition of Sb2O3, which allows for the direct deposition of morula-like Sb/Sb2O3 particles on the current collector without using a binder. Structural characterization confirms that the Sb/Sb2O3 composites are composed of approximately 90 mol % metallic Sb and 10 mol % crystalline Sb2O3. The composite exhibits a high reversible capacity (670 mAh g(-1)) that is higher than the theoretical capacity of Sb (660 mAh g(-1)). The high reversible capacity results from the conversion reaction between Na2O and Sb2O3 that occurs additionally to the alloying/dealloying reaction of Sb with Na. Moreover, the Sb/Sb2O3 composite shows excellent cycle performance with 91.8% capacity retention over 100 cycles, and a superior rate capability of 212 mAh g(-1) at a high current density of 3300 mA g(-1). The outstanding cycle performance is attributed to an amorphous Na2O phase generated by the conversion reaction, which inhibits agglomeration of Sb particles and acts as an effective buffer against volume change of Sb during cycling.

Simultaneous fabrication of superhydrophobic cathodic cobalt and anodic copper surfaces by a one-step electrodeposition process

Superhydrophobic cathodic cobalt and anodic copper surfaces were fabricated by one-step electrodeposition process. The superhydrophobicity properties, morphological features and chemical composition of the coatings were characterised. The results show that a short time of 0·5 minute is sufficient to render superhydrophobicity on the cathodic cobalt deposit. The cathodic cobalt surface exhibits a contact angle of 160° and a sliding angle of 6·2° when it is electrodeposited for 5 minutes. The corresponding anodic copper surface displays superhydrophobicity with a contact angle of 153° and a sliding angle of 6·8° after electrodeposition for 2 hours. Meanwhile, the cathodic cobalt surfaces show superhydrophobicity even for corrosive liquids with pH value ranging from 1 to 14. However, the anodic copper surfaces only have superhydrophobicity in the neutral, weak alkaline or acid aqueous solutions. The superhydrophobicity of the surfaces result from the formation of the myristate compounds on their surfaces and their special micro-/nanostructures.

Copper nano-clusters prepared by one-step electrodeposition and its application on nitrate sensing

This paper describes the fabrication and characterization of copper nano-clusters prepared by a simple one-step electrodeposition process on platinum microelectrode, and the application for nitrate determination. The one-step electrodepostion process was performed by chronoamperometry scan in acidic copper sulphate electrolyte directly. The SEM and electrochemical examination showed that the morphologies and microstructures of deposited copper layers can be precisely controlled by using different deposition voltages. It was found that the copper layer is porous when the deposition voltage is higher than -500 mV, and this porous layer has a larger effective surface area compared with the corresponding smooth flat copper layer deposited under voltage less than -300 mV. Under the optimized deposition voltage, copper clusters constructed by uniform nanoparticles with an average diameter of about 100 nm can be obtained. The mechanism of electrodeposition process for this method was also speculated. The copper layers deposited under different voltages are used in a series of tests in order to evaluate their performance for nitrate sensing. The experimental results reveal that the microelectrode modified by fixed potential deposition under -700 mV had a higher sensitivity of 39.31 μA/mmolL−1 for nitrate detection within the concentration ranging from 0.1 mmolL−1 to 4.0 mmolL−1.

Insights into the superhydrophobicity of metallic surfaces prepared by electrodeposition involving spontaneous adsorption of airborne hydrocarbons

Electrochemical fabrication of micro/nanostructured metallic surfaces with superhydrophobicity has recently aroused great attention. However, the origin still remains unclear why smooth hydrophilic metal surfaces become superhydrophobic by making micro/nanostructures without additional surface modifications. In this work, several superhydrophobic micro/nanostructured metal surfaces were prepared by a facile one-step electrodeposition process, including non-noble and noble metals such as copper, nickel, cadmium, zinc, gold, and palladium with (e.g. Cu) or without (e.g. Au) surface oxide films. We demonstrated by SEM and XPS that both hierarchical micro/nanostructures and spontaneous adsorption of airborne hydrocarbons endowed these surfaces with excellent superhydrophobicity. We revealed by XPS that the adsorption of airborne hydrocarbons at the Ar+-etched clean Au surface was rather quick, such that organic contamination can hardly be prevented in practical operation of surface wetting investigation. We also confirmed by XPS that ultraviolet-O3 treatment of the superhydrophobic metal surfaces did not remove the adsorbed hydrocarbons completely, but mainly oxidized them into hydrophilic oxygen-containing organic substances. We hope our findings here shed new light on deeper understanding of superhydrophobicity for micro/nanostructured metal surfaces with and without surface oxide films.

One-step electrodeposition process of CuInSe2: Deposition time effect

CuInSe2 thin films were prepared by one-step electrodeposition process using a simplified two-electrodes system. The films were deposited, during 5, 10, 15 and 20 min, from the deionized water solution consisting of CuCl2, InCl3 and SeO2 onto ITO-coated glass substrates. As-deposited films have been annealed under vacuum at 300 °C during 30 min. The structural, optical band gap and electrical resistivity of elaborated films were studied, respectively, using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, UV spectrophotometer and four-point probe method. The micro structural parameters like lattice constants, crystallite size, dislocation density and strain have been evaluated. The XRD investigation proved that the film deposited at 20 min present CuInSe2 single phase in its chalcopyrite structure and with preferred orientation along (1 1 2) direction, whereas the films deposited at 5, 10 and 15 min show the CuInSe2 chalcopyrite structure with the In2Se3 as secondary phase. We have found that the formation mechanism of CuInSe2 depends on the In2Se3 phase. The optical band gap of the films is found to decrease from 1.17 to 1.04 eV with increase in deposition time. All films show Raman spectra with a dominant A1 mode at 174 cm−1, confirming the chalcopyrite crystalline quality of these films. The films exhibited a range of resistivity varying from 2.3 × 10−3 to 4.4 × 10−1 Ω cm.

One-step electrodeposition process to fabricate superhydrophobic surface with improved anticorrosion property on magnesium alloy

Abstract A simple, one-step and environment-friendly method is developed to construct a superhydrophobic surface by electrodepositing MB8 magnesium plate in an ethanol solution containing cerium nitrate hexahydrate (Ce(NO 3 ) 3 ·6H 2 O) and myristic acid. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy were employed to characterize the surfaces. The contact angle was 159.8° and sliding angle was about 1°. Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements demonstrated that the superhydrophobic surface was effective in improving the corrosion properties. Furthermore, the approach is rapid and cheap, and it is supposed to have a promising future in expanding the application of magnesium alloy.

Facile fabrication of superhydrophobic cerium coating with micro-nano flower-like structure and excellent corrosion resistance

Corrosion resistant and superhydrophobic cerium (Ce) coating is fabricated by a one-step electrodeposition process. The Ce coating deposited at 50V for 10min displays superhydrophobicity with a contact angle of 162° and a sliding angle less than 4°, which is attributed to its micro-nano flower-like structure and the cerium myristate produced on its surface. The potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests show that the as-prepared superhydrophobic coating has excellent corrosion resistance that can provide effective protection for the substrate. The corrosion resistance of the superhydrophobic surface is closely related to their wettability. Moreover, the superhydrophobic Ce coating has good chemical stability because it exhibits low corrosion current density in various corrosive solutions except the solution with strong alkalinity. Finally, it is confirmed that the as-prepared superhydrophobic surface has low surface energy and self-cleaning ability. It is believed that the facile and low-cost method offers an effective strategy and promising industrial applications for fabricating superhydrophobic surfaces consisting of rare earth element.

Growth and characterization of Cu2ZnSnS4 photovoltaic thin films by electrodeposition and sulfurization

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films have been successfully prepared by sulfurization of Cu–Zn–Sn (CZT) alloy precursors. The CZT precursors were co-deposited on Mo-coated glass substrates via a one-step electrodeposition process. A comparative study of sulfurization process was carried out to optimize the kesterite CZTS phase quality. Morphological and structural analyses reveal a large grain microstructure and less secondary phases in the close-zone sulfurized thin film. The solar cell derived from the close-zone thin film shows the better conversion efficiency of 3.62%. Amounts of voids at the CZTS/Mo interface and the thick MoS2 layer is thought to be the root cause of the lower performance.

Fabrication of biomimetic superhydrophobic surface with controlled adhesion by electrodeposition

Abstract Typical plant leaves, such as lotus leaf, red rose petal, and marigold petal, exhibit different wetting behavior because of their different microstructure scales. Inspired by this fact, we developed a fast, facile, and low-cost one-step electrodeposition process to construct a superhydrophobic surface with controlled adhesion on the copper substrate. The cooperation of hierarchical micro–nanostructures and cerium myristate with low surface energy has an important function in the formation of a superhydrophobic surface. A superhydrophobic surface with controlled adhesion can be easily obtained by changing the reaction time. The tunable effect of adhesion can be described as the transition from the petal effect to the lotus effect due to different morphologies and microstructure scales on the surface. A maximum contact angle of 155.1° was observed on the high-adhesion superhydrophobic surface. Furthermore, a corresponding contact angle of 161.7° and a contact angle hysteresis of 3° appeared on the self-cleaning surface. The dynamic actions of the two-state transformation were described by wetting models and energy equation. In addition, such type of cathodic lanthanide superhydrophobic surface has an excellent stability in the solution of a large pH range and an excellent corrosion resistance in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. The results obtained in this study elucidated the effect of wetting states on the superhydrophobic surface with controlled adhesion. Such a technique will develop a new approach to fabricate a controlled superhydrophobic surface with rare earth element on conductive engineering materials.

One-step electrodeposition of graphene loaded nickel oxides nanoparticles for acetaminophen detection

An electrochemical sensor of acetaminophen (AP) based on electrochemically reduced graphene (ERG) loaded nickel oxides (Ni2O3–NiO) nanoparticles coated onto glassy carbon electrode (ERG/Ni2O3–NiO/GCE) was prepared by a one-step electrodeposition process. The as-prepared electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic properties of ERG/Ni2O3–NiO modified glassy carbon electrode toward the oxidation of acetaminophen were analyzed via cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The electrodes of Ni2O3–NiO/GCE, ERG/GCE, and Ni2O3–NiO deposited ERG/GCE were fabricated for the comparison and the catalytic mechanism understanding. The studies showed that the one-step prepared ERG/Ni2O3–NiO/GCE displayed the highest electro-catalytic activity, attributing to the synergetic effect derived from the unique composite structure and physical properties of nickel oxides nanoparticles and graphene. The low detection limit of 0.02μM (S/N=3) with the wide linear detection range from 0.04μM to 100μM (R=0.998) was obtained. The resulting sensor was successfully used to detect acetaminophen in commercial pharmaceutical tablets and urine samples.

Reduced graphene oxide and CdTe nanoparticles co-decorated TiO2 nanotube array as a visible light photocatalyst

TiO2 nanotube array (TiO2 NT) was co-decorated by reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and CdTe nanoparticles (NPs) through a simple one-step electrodeposition process. RGO film was formed on the top surface of TiO2 NT and CdTe NPs homogeneously dispersed within the RGO sheets and on the inner/outer walls of TiO2 NT. Resulting from the synergetic effect of RGO and CdTe, the photocatalytic activity of the ternary RGO/CdTe–TiO2 NT photocatalyst far exceeded those of bare TiO2 NT, RGO-TiO2 NT, and CdTe–TiO2 NT photocatalysts in the degradation of herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) under simulated solar light or visible light irradiation. After 180-min UV–Vis (or visible light) irradiation, almost 100 % (or 96 %) 2,4-D removal efficiency was achieved on RGO/CdTe–TiO2 NT, much higher than 42 % (or 2 %) on bare TiO2 NT, 58 % (or 10 %) on RGO–TiO2 NT, and 52 % (or 41 %) on CdTe–TiO2 NT. This study will inspire better design of advanced photocatalysts with high visible-light photocatalytic activity.

Catalytic Activity of Porous Pd-Ni Thin Foam towards Electrooxidation of Methanol

Porous Pd-Ni thin foam was fabricated by a rapid one-step electrodeposition process within hydrogen bubble dynamic template and characterized by SEM, EDS, and cyclic voltammetry. Morphology and composition of the foam can be modified significantly by applying different deposition conditions, such as concentration ratio of Pd (II) ions to Ni (II) ions in electrolytic solution and deposition time. Electrocatalytic activities of the foam towards methanol oxidation in alkaline media were investigated, which depend mainly on Pd components and its morphology. Low nickel content can assist Pd further enhance the electrocatalytic performance, particularly the tolerance to intermediates of methanol oxidation, while high nickel content brings adverse effect. The high catalytic activity and the low cost of the Pd-Ni foams enable them to be promising electrocatalysts for the oxidation of methanol in alkaline media.

Reduced graphene oxide and PbS nanoparticles co-modified TiO2 nanotube arrays as a recyclable and stable photocatalyst for efficient degradation of pentachlorophenol

TiO2 nanotube arrays (TiO2 NTs) were simultaneously modified by reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and PbS nonoparticles (NPs) through a simple one-step electrodeposition process. RGO film is formed on the top surface of TiO2 NTs and PbS NPs showing size less than 20nm are intercalated within the RGO sheets and also dispersed inside/outside walls the TiO2 NTs. Resulting from the synergetic effect of RGO and PbS, the photocatalytic activity of the ternary RGO/PbS-TiO2 NTs photocatalyst far exceeds those of bare TiO2 NTs, the binary RGO-TiO2 NTs and PbS-TiO2 NTs photocatalysts in the degradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) under simulated solar light. After 120-min irradiation, almost 100% PCP removal is obtained on the RGO/PbS-TiO2 NTs, compared to 61% on bare TiO2 NTs, 76% on RGO-TiO2 NTs, and 86% on PbS-TiO2 NTs. Because the PbS NPs were covered by the RGO sheets, to a certain extent the photocorrosion of PbS was suppressed, and therefore the RGO/PbS-TiO2 NTs photocatalyst shows a good stability relative to the PbS-TiO2 NTs without RGO. This study will inspire better design of advanced photocatalysts with high visible-light photocatalytic activity, easy recovery, and good stability.

Rapid Fabrication of Corrosion Resistant and Superhydrophobic Cobalt Coating by a One-Step Electrodeposition

Superhydrophobic cobalt (Co) coating with micro-nanofiber structure was rapidly fabricated by a one-step electrodeposition process. The wettability, microstructure, and corrosion resistance of the as-prepared Co coating were evaluated under different test conditions. The Co coating electrodeposited at 20 V for 5 min displays superhydrophobicity with a contact angle of 160° and a sliding angle of 6.2°. The superhydrophobicity of the coating is derived from the form of the cobalt myristate on its surface and the special micro-nanofiber structure. Excessive electrodeposition time or voltage change the micro-nanofiber structure of the coating and then decrease its superhydrophobicity. The coating surface can be switched from superhydrophobic to hydrophilic by heating in an oven and then dipping in the ethanol solution of 0.1 M myristic acid. In addition, the prepared Co coating displays better corrosion resistance than the bare Cu substrate. The corrosive medium with strong alkalinity or highly acidity decreases the corrosion resistance of the Co coating. The corrosion resistance of the coating is consistent with its hydrophobicity. The superhydrophobicity favored the improvement of the corrosion resistance for the coatings.

3D hierarchically porous Cu–BiOCl nanocomposite films: one-step electrochemical synthesis, structural characterization and nanomechanical and photoluminescent properties

Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchically porous composite Cu-BiOCl films have been prepared by a facile one-step galvanostatic electrodeposition process from acidic electrolytic solutions containing Cu(ii) and Bi(iii) chloride salts and Triton X-100. The films show spherical, micron-sized pores that spread over the whole film thickness. In turn, the pore walls are made of randomly packed BiOCl nanoplates that are assembled leaving micro-nanopore voids beneath. It is believed that Cu grows within the interstitial spaces between the hydrogen bubbles produced from the reduction of H(+) ions. Then, the BiOCl sheets accommodate in the porous network defined by the Cu building blocks. The presence of Cu tends to enhance the mechanical stability of the composite material. The resulting porous Cu-BiOCl films exhibit homogeneous and stable-in-time photoluminescent response arising from the BiOCl component that spreads over the entire 3D porous structure, as demonstrated by confocal scanning laser microscopy. A broad-band emission covering the entire visible range, in the wavelength interval 450-750 nm, is obtained. The present work paves the way for the facile and controlled preparation of a new generation of photoluminescent membranes.

One-step electrodeposition of CuGaSe2 thin films

CuGaSe2 thin films have been prepared by one-step electrodeposition and rapid thermal annealing process. According to composition and morphology analysis, deposition potential of −0.6V vs. SCE is considered to be optimum for electrodeposition. From the X-ray diffraction and Raman studies, the as-deposited film exhibits poor crystallinity without the evidence of CuGaSe2 or other Ga-containing phases, while the rapid thermal annealing-treated film shows chalcopyrite structure CuGaSe2 phase containing MoSe2 phase between the Mo substrate and the absorber and minor second phase Cu2−xSe. The obtained CuGaSe2 thin film has a band gap of about 1.68eV and p-type conductivity.

One-step electrodeposition process to fabricate cathodic superhydrophobic surface

In this work, a rapid one-step process is developed to fabricate superhydrophobic cathodic surface by electrodepositing copper plate in an electrolyte solution containing manganese chloride (MnCl2·4H2O), myristic acid (CH3(CH2)12COOH) and ethanol. The superhydrophobic surfaces were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The shortest electrolysis time for fabricating a superhydrophobic surface is about 1min, the measured maximum contact angle is 163° and rolling angle is less than 3°. Furthermore, this method can be easily extended to other conductive materials. The approach is time-saving and cheap, and it is supposed to have a promising future in industrial fields.