Fabrication of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous gadolinia-doped ceria films

Abstract

In this paper, three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3-DOM) gadolinia-doped ceria (CGO) thin films were prepared by an aqueous organic gel method through the interstitial spaces between polystyrene spheres assembled on glass substrates. The concentration of CGO precursor, the pH value and infiltration times had important effects on the formation of the ordered porous structure. The morphologies of the porous CGO films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Phase development of PS–CGO composites with increasing calcination temperature, and the interactions between PS templates and the CGO precursor were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). X-Ray diffraction (XRD) spectra indicated the thin film calcined at 600 °C had a cubic structure and the CGO phase was formed directly by thermal decomposition of the precursor gel. The chemical composition of the porous CGO films was also studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).