Electrochemical Formation of Cerium Oxide/Layered Silicate Nanocomposite Films

Abstract

Cerium oxide/montmorillonite nanocomposite films were synthesized electrochemically from solutions containing 0.5 to 50% Na-montmorillonite. The nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Nanocomposite films synthesized from montmorillonite concentrations lower than 10% were continuous, uniform, and dense. X-ray diffraction confirmed that the nanocomposite films retain the face-centered cubic structure of cerium oxide while incorporating exfoliated platelets of the montmorillonite into the matrix. In addition, calculations from XRD data showed particle sizes ranging from 4.50 to 6.50 nm for the nanocomposite coatings. Raman and FTIR spectroscopy had peaks present for cerium oxide and the layered silicates in the coatings. Cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the presence of montmorillonite throughout the cerium oxide matrix.