Electrodeposition of Sm–Co film with high Sm content from aqueous solution

• The Sm–Co film with high Sm content is electrodeposited from aqueous solutions.
• The addition of glycine facilitates the codeposition of Sm with Co at relatively low potential.
• The Sm2Co17 phase is formed in the annealed Sm–Co film.

Sm–Co films with high Sm content were electrodeposited by potentiostat technique from the aqueous solution containing glycine as a complexing agent. The Cyclic Voltammetry measurements showed that the glycine plays a crucial role in the electrodeposition of Sm–Co films. The forming of stable complex [CoIISmIII(Gly−)2(HGly±)]3 + facilitated the codeposition of Sm with Co at relatively low potential, which made it possible to fabricate the Sm–Co films with high Sm content. The Sm–Co film with 43 at.% Sm had been obtained. X-ray diffraction showed that the as-deposited Sm–Co films were amorphous. After annealing at 600 °C for 2 h in Ar atmosphere, the films became crystalline and the permanent Sm2Co17 phase was formed, which significantly enhanced the coercivity of the films.