Role of substrate potential on filling the gap between two planar parallel electrodes in electrophoretic deposition

Here we investigated low frequency AC electrophoretic deposition of TiO2 nano-particles suspended in acetone by experiment and simulation. Deposition is done under influence of a non-uniform I Hz AC electric field. The non-uniform electric field is generated by two parallel planar gold electrodes coated on a glass substrate. Experiment shows that during deposition, TiO2 nano-particles fill the gap between electrodes. Numerical simulation of electric field reveals the role of glass substrate on gap filling. Our model shows that existence of surface charge on the substrate between two electrodes is the reason why the TiO2 nanoparticles move to the gap between two electrodes and deposit there. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.