Patent ID: 8524613

Claim:
A method of forming a film of lanthanide oxide nanoparticles, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first substrate with a conducting surface and a second substrate that is positioned apart from the first substrate; (b) applying a voltage between the first substrate and the second substrate; (c) immersing the first substrate and the second substrate in a solution comprising a plurality of lanthanide oxide nanoparticles suspended in a non-polar solvent or apolar solvent for a first duration of time effective to form a film of lanthanide oxide nanoparticles on the conducting surface of the first substrate; and (d) after the immersing step, removing the first substrate from the solution and exposing the first substrate to air while maintaining the applied voltage for a second duration of time to dry the film of lanthanide oxide nanoparticles formed on the conducting surface of the first substrate.