Synergistic effect of nitrate content and ethanol on photo-assisted anodic deposition of ceria thin films

Abstract Nanocrystalline ceria thin films have been prepared by photo-assisted anodic deposition in two kinds of solutions (water and 70% v/v ethanol-water) containing different sodium nitrate concentrations (0, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25 and 0.30 mol l − 1 ) onto 316L surface. The synergistic effect of nitrate content and ethanol on the formation of ceria films was studied with scanning electron microscopy, ellipsometry, X-ray diffraction, and Raman, UV–visible, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Results show that the current density, film thickness, particle size and Ce( IV ) content increase with increasing nitrate concentration in water solution whereas decrease in 70% v/v ethanol-water solution. When the nitrate concentration is higher than 0.25 mol l − 1 , the positive function of nitrate on the growth of ceria films is more prominent than ethanol. The action mechanism of nitrate on the photoelectrochemical deposition of CeO 2 in two different solutions has been discussed in details.