Electrochemical Deposition of Nanostructured Silica Thin Films

Electrochemical Deposition of Nanostructured Silica Thin Films 

The main driving force for the electrochemical deposition of sol—gel films is the electrolysis of H2O, which not only generates OH ions but also induces H2 evolution on the cathode. The latter causes the deposited films to be porous. This structure may deteriorate the corrosion resistance of the films as reported by Hu et al. [18,42], but on the other hand it is beneficial for the application of the films in electroanalysis, as it does not completely block electron transfer on the electrode [20,28]. The pores induced by H2 are large, and the obtained films are macroporous consisting of silica particles with diameter of a few himdred nanometers. In order to better tune the morphology of the films, templates are desired for electrodeposition. 

50 nm) (b) high-magnification cross-sectional view (scale bar 20 nm) (c) high-magnification 

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