Structural, Wetting and Magnetic Properties of Sputtered Fe₇₀Pd₃₀ Thin Film with Nanostructured Surface Induced by Dealloying Process

FePd alloys in the thin film form represent a multipurpose and versatile material with relevant chemical and physical properties studied in different research fields. Moreover, the ability to manipulate and fine-tune the film surface with nanometric scale precision represents a degree of freedom useful to adapt these thin film properties to the demands of different desired applications. In this manuscript, Fe₇₀Pd₃₀ (at. %) thin films are prepared with a thickness of 50 and 200 nm by means of the widely used co-sputtering deposition technique. Subsequently, selective removal of the iron element from the alloy and the consequent surface diffusion of the palladium was induced by a dealloying treatment under free corrosion conditions in hydrochloric acid. The size and shape of the grains of the as-deposited thin films determine the dissolution rate of the iron element with a direct consequence not only on the surface morphology and the stoichiometry of the alloy but also on the wetting and magnetic properties of the sample. X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images, contact angle and magnetic measurements have been performed to provide a thorough characterisation of the fundamental properties of these nanostructured bimetallic thin films.