Electrolyte pH dependence of composition, roughness parameters, particle diameter and magnetic features of nanostructured Fe‐Co‐Ni/ITO deposits prepared by electrochemical deposition method

• Published in: Journal of microscopy (Oxford) Vol. 290; no. 2; pp. 106 - 116
• Main Authors: Saraç, Umut, Trong, Dung Nguyen, Baykul, M. Celalettin, Long, Van Cao, Dang, Phu Nguyen, Lan, Doan Phuong, Ţălu, Ştefan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.05.2023
• Subjects: Carbon dioxide; Cobalt; coercive field; Coercivity; Composition; Crystallites; Crystallization; Crystals; Deposits; electrolyte pH; Electrolytes; hydrogen evolution; Hysteresis loops; Indium tin oxides; Iron; Kurtosis; Magnetic properties; Morphology; Nanostructure; nanostructured Fe‐Co‐Ni deposits; Nickel; Parameters; Particle size; pH effects; Preferred orientation; roughness parameters; Surface analysis (chemical); Surface roughness; Thin films; electrolyte pH; hydrogen evolution; roughness parameters; coercive field; nanostructured Fe-Co-Ni deposits
• ISSN: 0022-2720; 1365-2818
• DOI: 10.1111/jmi.13180

The composition, structural features, surface morphology, roughness parameters, particle size, and magnetic features of nanostructured Fe‐Co‐Ni deposits manufactured on conducting indium tin oxide‐coated glasses at various electrolyte pH values are studied. The deposit produced at low electrolyte pH contains slightly higher Fe and Co contents but lower Ni content compared to deposits fabricated at high pH values. Further composition analysis confirms that the reduction rates of Fe2+ and Co2+ are higher than the Ni2+ reduction rate. The films consist of nano‐sized crystallites with a strong [111] preferred orientation. The results also reveal that the crystallization of the thin films is affected by the electrolyte pH. Surface analysis shows that the deposit surfaces are composed of nano‐sized particles with different diameters. The mean particle diameter and surface roughness decrease as the pH of the electrolyte decreases. The effect of the electrolyte pH on the morphology is also discussed in terms of surface skewness and kurtosis parameters. Magnetic analysis shows that the resultant deposits have in‐plane hysteresis loops with low and close SQR parameters ranging from 0.079 to 0.108. The results also reveal that the coercive field of the deposits increases from 29.4 Oe to 41.3 Oe as the electrolyte pH decreases from 4.7 to 3.2. LAY DESCRIPTION The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of the electrolyte pH on the properties of nanostructured Fe‐Co‐Ni/ITO thin films. The chemical composition, structural features and magnetic characteristics of the samples were analyzed through EDX, XRD and VSM, respectively. SEM and AFM methods were used to characterize the surface morphology of the samples. The analysis results showed that the mean particle diameter and surface roughness of the films decreased as the pH of the electrolyte decreased. Besides, lowering the electrolyte pH led to the formation of some pinholes and cracks on the film surface. The change in the surface morphology caused by the pH of the electrolyte and its effect on the magnetic characteristics of the films are discussed in terms of the obtained results.