Electrodeposition of Sm-Co film with high Sm content from aqueous solution

Sm-Co films with high Sm content were electrodeposited by potentiostat technique from the aqueous solution containing glycine as a complexing agent. The Cyclic Voltammetry measurements showed that the glycine plays a crucial role in the electrodeposition of Sm-Co films. The forming of stable complex [(CoSmIII)-Sm-II(Gly(-))(2)(HGly(+/-))](3+) facilitated the codeposition of Sm with Co at relatively low potential, which made it possible to fabricate the Sm-Co films with high Smcontent. The Sm-Co film with 43 at .% Sm had been obtained. X-ray diffraction showed that the as-deposited Sm-Co films were amorphous. After annealing at 600 degrees C for 2h in Ar atmosphere, the films became crystalline and the permanent Sm2Co17 phase was formed, which significantly enhanced the coercivity of the films. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.