Effect of anodic voltage on parameters of porous alumina formed in sulfuric acid electrolytes

Abstract

Local porous aluminum anodizing with a photolithography mask has been carried out at anodic voltages varying from 15 to 200 V in sulfuric acid electrolytes. Record anodic voltages at room temperature have been achieved leading to new parameters of porous alumina such as interpore distance up to 320 nm, forming cell factor up to 1.2 nm/V, thickness expansion factor up to 3.5, porosity up to 1%, sulfur concentration up to 7.7 at.%. A central angle of porous alumina cells has been measured in concave points as well as in peak points of porous alumina cells at the border with aluminum. The measurements have shown that central angles can reach 90° at anodic voltages larger than 100 V. The electric field distribution in porous alumina cells has been simulated for different central angles. It is found that the electric field reaches 2.7×1010 V/m in the layers with a porosity of 1% in growing alumina.