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Asymmetric alumina membranes electrochemically formed in oxalic acid solution

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Abstract

Alumina membranes were fabricated by anodizing aluminium metal in 0.15 M oxalic acid. The growth kinetics of the porous layer were investigated in the temperature range −1 to 16 °C using linear potential scans up to 70 V. The faradaic efficiencies of metal oxidation and of porous layer formation, determined by applying Faraday's law, were found to be independent of both temperature and electrical charge. SEM analysis of the metal-side and solution-side surfaces revealed different morphologies. After dissolution of the barrier layer in phosphoric acid, the metal-side surface showed circular pores whose size of about 90 nm was found to be uniform and independent of temperature. The pore population was also practically independent of temperature and a value of about 4 × 1013 pores m−2 was determined. On the solution-side surface the presence of a deposit partially occluding the mouths of pores was observed. This coating could be removed by chemical etching in NaOH or thermal treatment at 870 °C, where decomposition of oxalate occurs. This supports the hypothesis that the deposit consists of an aluminium salt containing oxalate anions precipitated from the solution. The results show that it is possible to control the morphological characteristics of the anodic alumina membranes by careful choice of experimental conditions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica dei Processi e dei Materiali, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90129, Palermo, Italy

    P. Bocchetta, C. Sunseri, S. Piazza & F. Di Quarto

  2. Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Genova, Via Dodecanneso 31, 16146, Genova, Italy

    A. Bottino & G. Capannelli

  3. Becromal S.p.A, Via Ernest Rosenthal 5, 20089, Rozzano-Milano, Italy

    G. Chiavarotti

Authors
  1. P. Bocchetta
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  2. C. Sunseri
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  3. A. Bottino
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  4. G. Capannelli
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  5. G. Chiavarotti
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  6. S. Piazza
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  7. F. Di Quarto
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Correspondence to C. Sunseri.

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Bocchetta, P., Sunseri, C., Bottino, A. et al. Asymmetric alumina membranes electrochemically formed in oxalic acid solution. Journal of Applied Electrochemistry 32, 977–985 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020960719245

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