Controllable Growth Orientation of Ag2O and Cu2O Films by Electrocrystallization from Aqueous Solutions

We demonstrate that Ag2O and Cu2O polycrystal films with a cubic cuprite structure can be grown on F:SnO2 substrates with controllable crystal orientation between ⟨111⟩ and ⟨100⟩ directions by galvanostatic electrocrystallization from aqueous electrolytes. The Ag2O and Cu2O films have been electrodeposited at different applied current densities determined by linear-sweep voltammetry (LSV) measurements, and their crystal structure and morphology were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The XRD results show the preferred growth orientation changed from ⟨111⟩ to ⟨100⟩ with increasing and decreasing current density for Ag2O and Cu2O, respectively. The surface morphology, especially for the Cu2O films, was also changed from a three-sided pyramidal shape to a four-sided pyramidal shape corresponding to the orientation. We also give a reasonable explanation for the observed trend in the growth orientation by considering the formation rate of AgOH an...

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