Application of the Multi-Step EPD Technique to Fabricate Thick TiO2 Layers: Effect of Organic Medium Viscosity on the Layer Microstructure

In the present study, electrophoretic deposition (EPD) was used to obtain dense layers of TiO2 in four organic mediamethanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, and butanolwith different TiO2 nanoparticle concenterations of 1–8 g/L. Microstructural study of the obtained layers by scanning electron (SEM) and optical microscope (OM) revealed that the multistep EPD technique could effectively prevent crack formation across the layer compared with the single-step method and will consequently increase the critical cracking thickness (CCT). The quality of EPD layers was also affected by viscosity. According to SEM and atomic force microscope (AFM) results, as the viscosity of the medium increased, more compact layers were formed which can be attributed to the lower deposition rates in heavier alcohols. High deposition rate in methanol and ethanol was also confirmed by zeta potential results. Suspension viscosity was interestingly observed to control the threshold concentration above which crack formation would occur. These values were measured to be 3 and 5 g/L for methanol and ethanol, respectively. However, in suspensions based on more viscous alcohols, the threshold concentration increased to 8 g/L which implied the decisive role of medium on concentration limits. It indicates that by employing organic vehicles of higher viscosity it is possible to maintain the CCT values obtained in less viscous media with no need to decrease the colloidal concentration of the suspension.