Electrodeposition of iron from 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate and reverse microemulsions of Triton X-100

Electrodeposition of iron (Fe) was investigated in three different media, namely a hydrophilic ionic liquid (IL), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate, conventional reverse microemulsion (RME)/reverse micellar solution, and IL-based RME of a non-ionic surfactant, Triton X-100, with a view to electrodepositing iron with desired morphology. Electrochemical behaviour of Fe2+ was studied using cyclic voltammetric technique with a copper electrode as the working electrode. Electrochemical reduction of Fe2+ in all the studied media was found to be an electrochemically irreversible, diffusion-controlled process. Successful potentiostatic electrodeposition of metallic iron was performed in all the studied media on copper substrate using bulk electrolysis method. The obtained iron electrodeposits were characterized using a scanning electron microscope and an X-ray diffractometer. The controlled diffusion of Fe2+ towards electrode surface in all the media resulted in the formation of nanoparticles of iron, but compact layers of granular nanoparticles could be achieved from both the conventional and IL-based RME systems. The IL-based microemulsions synergistically combined the advantageous features of both the IL and RME and showed promise for tuning the size, shape, and morphology of the electrodeposited iron.