Publication: Formation of nanoporous zirconium oxide by anodic oxidation of zirconium foil
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Date
2009-05-01
Authors
Deborah Chow, Yen May
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Abstract
In this research, the main focus was to optimize the properties of porous zirconium oxide nanotubes formed by anodization. The Zr foil was cleaned in ethanol and rinsed with distilled water. Samples were all anodized in 1M sodium sulphate (Na2SO4) electrolyte with the addition of amounts of NH4F as a source of F- ions with a set value of voltage. Platinum electrode was used as the counter electrode. The anodized samples were rinsed with distilled water and dried with spray gun. To produce porous zirconium oxide nanotubes, various parameters were studied. Parameters investigated were: the effect of pH of the electrolyte, where the low pH (pH 1, 3 and 5) and high pH (pH 6, 8 and 10) were studied, the effect of amounts of NH4F (0.01g, 0.03g, 0.05g, 0.07g, 0.09g), the effect of voltage applied on the electrode (10V, 20V, 40V, 60V) and also the anodization time (45 minutes, 60 minutes, 75 minutes, 90 minutes). From this study, it was found that the best condition to produce porous ZrO2 nanotubes is actually at pH 3, 0.07g (0.5wt %) of NH4F, at 20V and at an anodization time of 60 minutes.