Electrochemical anodic oxidation assisted fabrication of memristors

Owing to the advantages of simple structure,low power consumption and high-density integration,memristors or memristive devices are attracting increasing attention in the fields such as next generation non-volatile memories,neuromorphic computation and data encryption.However,the deposition of memristive films often requires expensive equipment,strict vacuum conditions,high energy consumption,and extended processing times.In contrast,electrochemical anodizing can produce metal oxide films quickly(e.g.10 s) under ambient conditions.By means of the anodizing technique,oxide films,oxide nanotubes,nanowires and nanodots can be fabricated to prepare memristors.Oxide film thickness,nanostructures,defect concentrations,etc,can be varied to regulate device performances by adjusting oxidation parameters such as voltage,current and time.Thus memristors fabricated by the anodic oxidation technique can achieve high device consistency,low variation,and ultrahigh yield rate.This article provides a comprehensive review of the research progress in the field of anodic oxidation assisted fabrication of memristors.Firstly,the principle of anodic oxidation is introduced;then,different types of memristors produced by anodic oxidation and their applications are presented;finally,features and challenges of anodic oxidation for memristor production are elaborated.

Layered Potassium Titanium Niobate/Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite as a Potassium‑Ion Battery Anode

With graphite currently leading as the most viable anode for potassium-ion batteries(KIBs),other materials have been left relatively underexamined.Transition metal oxides are among these,with many positive attributes such as synthetic maturity,longterm cycling stability and fast redox kinetics.Therefore,to address this research deficiency we report herein a layered potassium titanium niobate KTiNbO5(KTNO)and its rGO nanocomposite(KTNO/rGO)synthesised via solvothermal methods as a high-performance anode for KIBs.Through effective distribution across the electrically conductive rGO,the electrochemical performance of the KTNO nanoparticles was enhanced.The potassium storage performance of the KTNO/rGO was demonstrated by its first charge capacity of 128.1 mAh g^(−1) and reversible capacity of 97.5 mAh g^(−1) after 500 cycles at 20 mA g^(−1),retaining 76.1%of the initial capacity,with an exceptional rate performance of 54.2 mAh g^(−1)at 1 A g^(−1).Furthermore,to investigate the attributes of KTNO in-situ XRD was performed,indicating a low-strain material.Ex-situ X-ray photoelectron spectra further investigated the mechanism of charge storage,with the titanium showing greater redox reversibility than the niobium.This work suggests this lowstrain nature is a highly advantageous property and well worth regarding KTNO as a promising anode for future high-performance KIBs.

Enhancing capacitive deionization performance and cyclic stability of nitrogen-doped activated carbon by the electro-oxidation of anode materials

Electrode materials with high desalination capacity and long-term cyclic stability are the focus of capacitive deionization(CDI) community. Understanding the causes of performance decay in traditional carbons is crucial to design a high-performance material. Based on this, here, nitrogen-doped activated carbon(NAC) was prepared by pyrolyzing the blend of activated carbon powder(ACP) and melamine for the positive electrode of asymmetric CDI. By comparing the indicators changes such as conductivity, salt adsorption capacity, pH, and charge efficiency of the symmetrical ACP-ACP device to the asymmetric ACP-NAC device under different CDI cycles, as well as the changes of the electrochemical properties of anode and cathode materials after long-term operation, the reasons for the decline of the stability of the CDI performance were revealed. It was found that the carboxyl functional groups generated by the electro-oxidation of anode carbon materials make the anode zero-charge potential(E_(pzc)) shift positively,which results in the uneven distribution of potential windows of CDI units and affects the adsorption capacity. Furthermore, by understanding the electron density on C atoms surrounding the N atoms, we attribute the increased cyclic stability to the enhanced negativity of the charge of carbon atoms adjacent to quaternary-N and pyridinic-oxide-N.

Research progress of alkaline earth metal iron-based oxides as anodes for lithium-ion batteries

Anode materials are an essential part of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs),which determine the performance and safety of LIBs.Currently,graphite,as the anode material of commercial LIBs,is limited by its low theoretical capacity of 372 mA·h·g^(−1),thus hindering further development toward high-capacity and large-scale applications.Alkaline earth metal iron-based oxides are considered a promising candidate to replace graphite because of their low preparation cost,good thermal stability,superior stability,and high electrochemical performance.Nonetheless,many issues and challenges remain to be addressed.Herein,we systematically summarize the research progress of alkaline earth metal iron-based oxides as LIB anodes.Meanwhile,the material and structural properties,synthesis methods,electrochemical reaction mechanisms,and improvement strategies are introduced.Finally,existing challenges and future research directions are discussed to accelerate their practical application in commercial LIBs.

Lattice Boltzmann simulation study of anode degradation in solid oxide fuel cells during the initial aging process

For present solid oxide fuel cells(SOFCs),rapid performance degradation is observed in the initial aging process,and the dis-cussion of the degradation mechanism necessitates quantitative analysis.Herein,focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy was em-ployed to characterize and reconstruct the ceramic microstructures of SOFC anodes.The lattice Boltzmann method(LBM)simulation of multiphysical and electrochemical processes in the reconstructed models was performed.Two samples collected from industrial-size cells were characterized,including a reduced reference cell and a cell with an initial aging process.Statistical parameters of the reconstructed microstructures revealed a significant decrease in the active triple-phase boundary and Ni connectivity in the aged cell compared with the reference cell.The LBM simulation revealed that activity degradation is dominant compared with microstructural degradation during the initial aging process,and the electrochemical reactions spread to the support layer in the aged cell.The microstructural and activity de-gradations are attributed to Ni migration and coarsening.

Effects of operating conditions on the performance degradation and anode microstructure evolution of anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells

Performance degradation shortens the life of solid oxide fuel cells in practical applications.Revealing the degradation mechanism is crucial for the continuous improvement of cell durability.In this work,the effects of cell operating conditions on the terminal voltage and anode microstructure of a Ni-yttria-stabilized zirconia anode-supported single cell were investigated.The microstructure of the anode active area near the electrolyte was characterized by laser optical microscopy and focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy.Ni depletion at the anode/electrolyte interface region was observed after 100 h discharge tests.In addition,the long-term stability of the single cell was evaluated at 700℃for 3000 h.After an initial decline,the anode-supported single cell exhibits good durability with a voltage decay rate of 0.72%/kh and an electrode polarization resistance decay rate of 0.17%/kh.The main performance loss of the cell originates from the initial degradation.

Enabling High-Performance Sodium Battery Anodes by Complete Reduction of Graphene Oxide and Cooperative In-Situ Crystallization of Ultrafine SnO_(2)Nanocrystals

The main bottleneck against industrial utilization of sodium ion batteries(SIBs)is the lack of high-capacity electrodes to rival those of the benchmark lithium ion batteries(LIBs).Here in this work,we have developed an economical method for in situ fabrication of nanocomposites made of crystalline few-layer graphene sheets loaded with ultrafine SnO_(2)nanocrystals,using short exposure of microwave to xerogel of graphene oxide(GO)and tin tetrachloride containing minute catalyzing dispersoids of chemically reduced GO(RGO).The resultant nanocomposites(SnO_(2)@MWG)enabled significantly quickened redox processes as SIB anode,which led to remarkable full anode-specific capacity reaching 538 mAh g^(−1)at 0.05 A g^(−1)(about 1.45 times of the theoretical capacity of graphite for the LIB),in addition to outstanding rate performance over prolonged charge–discharge cycling.Anodes based on the optimized SnO_(2)@MWG delivered stable performance over 2000 cycles even at a high current density of 5 A g^(−1),and capacity retention of over 70.4%was maintained at a high areal loading of 3.4 mg cm^(−2),highly desirable for high energy density SIBs to rival the current benchmark LIBs.

Effect of the microstructure of Al 7050-T7451 on anodic oxide formation in sulfuric acid

The effect of the microstructure of an Al 7050-T7451 substrate on the anodic oxide formation in sulfuric acid was studied in this article. The microstructure of the substrate was assessed by optical microscope （OM） and transmission electron microscope （TEM）. The surface and cross-section morphologies of the oxide films were examined by scanning electron microscope （SEM）. The chemical composition of intermetallic particles in the alloys and films was investigated using energy dispersive spectroscope （EDS）. The roles of intermetallic phases and grain or subgrain boundaries on the oxide film formation were researched using the potentiodynamic and potentiostatic polarization technique in sulfuric acid solution. The results show that the transition of coarse intermetallic particles or grain （subgrain） boundaries at the surface of Al alloys can be characterized by potentiodynamic polarization curves. The surface and cross-section micrographs of the anodic layer seem to preserve the microstructure of the substrate. Large cavities in the anodic films are caused by the preferential dissolution of coarse AItCuMg particles and the entrance of Cu-rich remnants into the electrolyte during anodizing. The Al7Cu2Fe particles tend to be occluded in the oxide layer or lose from the oxide surface because of peripheral trenching. Small pores in the films are induced by the dissolution of precipitates in grain or subgrain boundaries. The film surface of recrystallized grain bodies is smooth and homogeneous.

Effect of intermetallic phases on the anodic oxidation and corrosion of 5A06 aluminum alloy

Intermetallic phases were found to influence the anodic oxidation and corrosion behavior of 5A06 aluminum alloy. Scattered in- termetallic particles were examined by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and energy dispersive spectroscopy （EDS） after pretreatment. The anodic film was investigated by transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, and its corrosion resistance was analyzed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy （EIS） and Tafel polarization in NaC1 solution. The results show that the size of A1-Fe-Mg-Mn particles gradually decreases with the iron content. During anodizing, these intermetallic particles are gradually dissolved, leading to the complex porosity in the anodic film beneath the particles. After anodizing, the residual particles are mainly silicon-containing phases, which are embedded in the an- odic film. Electrochemical measurements indicate that the porous anodic film layer is easily penetrated, and the barrier plays a dominant role in the overall protection. Meanwhile, self-healing behavior is observed during the long immersion time.

Synergistic Corrosion Inhibition Effect of Molybdate and Phosphate Ions for Anodic Oxidation Film Formed on 2024 Aluminum Alloy

In order to effectively improve the corrosion resistance of aluminum alloys, anodic oxidation technique was used to generate the oxide film. We investigated the influences of two inorganic corrosion inhibitors(ammonium dihydrogen phosphate and sodium molybdate) on the corrosion resistance of anodic oxidation films on 2024 aluminum alloy, and studied the synergistic effect of two corrosion inhibitors. The corrosion resistance of anodic oxidation film in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization curves. Results show that, after adding the single ammonium dihydrogen phosphate or sodium molybdate of 0.01 M to oxalic acid electrolyte, inhibition efficiencies of the anodized samples are 10% and 47%, respectively. However, in the presence of two inhibitors with the same concentration of 0.01 M, inhibition efficiency can be as high as 92%. Therefore, we observed the significantly synergistic corrosion inhibition effect of molybdate and phosphate ions for anodic oxidation film formed on 2024 aluminum alloy.

Electrochemical incineration of dimethyl phthalate by anodic oxidation with boron-doped diamond electrode

The anodic oxidation of aqueous solutions containing dimethyl phthalate （DMP） up to 125 mg/L with sodium sulfate （Na2SO4） as supporting electrolyte within the pH range 2.0-10.0 was studied using a one-compartment batch reactor employing a boron-doped diamond （BDD） as anode. Electrolyses were carded out at constant current density （1.5-4.5 mA/cm^2）. Complete mineralization was always achieved owing to the great concentration of hydroxyl radical （-OH） generated at the BDD surface. The effects of pH, apparent current density and initial DMP concentration on the degradation rate of DMP, the specific charge required for its total mineralization and mineralization current efficiency were investigated systematically. The mineralization rate of DMP was found to be pH-independent and to increase with increasing applied current density. Results indicated that this electrochemical process was subjected, at least partially, to the mass transfer of organics onto the BDD surface. Kinetic analysis of the temporal change of DMP concentration during electrolysis determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography （HPLC） revealed that DMP decay under all tested conditions followed a pseudo first-order reaction. Aromatic intermediates and generated carboxylic acids were identified by Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry （GC-MS） and a general pathway for the electrochemical incineration of DMP on BDD was proposed.

Fabrication and characterization of anodic oxide films on a Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al titanium alloy

Anodic oxide films of the titanium alloy Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al in ammonium tartrate electrolyte without hydrofluoric acid or fluoride were fabricated. The morphology, components, and microstructure of the films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that the films were thick, uniform, and nontransparent. Such films exhibited sedimentary morphology, with a thickness of about 3 μm, and the pore diameters of the deposits ranged from several hundred nanometers to 1.5 μm. The films were mainly titanium dioxide. Some coke-like deposits, which may contain or be changed by OH, NH, C-C, C-O, and C=O groups, were doped in the films. The films were mainly amorphous with a small amount of anatase and rutile phase.

Preparation and Corrosion Resistance of Anodic Oxidation Coatings on 2198 and 5A90 Al-Li Alloys

2198 and 5A90 Al-Li alloys were anodized with a constant DC potential in 18%H_2SO_4solution(Solu.A) and the mixture solution of 18%H_2SO_4+5%C_2H_2O_4(Solu.B) at room temperature. 12 and 11 V was optimized as the applied oxidation potential for 2198 and 5A90 alloys, respectively. Cross-sectional morphology, surface morphology and elements distribution of anodic oxidation coatings were observed by scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analysis(SEM/EDX). Corrosion resistance was tested by potentiodynamic polarization plot in 3.5%NaCl solution. The results showed that the thicknesses of coatings obtained at the selected potential in Solu.A and Solu.B were about 50 μm/110 μm for 2198 alloy and 80 μm/110 μm for 5A90 alloy. In both solutions, anodic oxidation coatings of 2198 alloy were primarily composed of Al oxides; those of 5A90 alloy were mainly consisted of Al oxides and a small amount of Mg oxides. The results of potentiodynamic polarization showed that anodic oxidation coatings of 2198 and 5A90 Al-Li alloys had better corrosion resistances than that of untreated alloys.

Preparation and crystalline phase of a TiO_2 porous film by anodic oxidation

Anatase titanium dioxide is an active photocatalyst, but it is difficult to immobilize on the substrate. A crystalline TiO2 porous film was prepared directly on the surface of pure titanium by anodic oxidation in this work. Constant voltage and constant current anodic oxidation were adopted with sulphuric acid used as the electrolyte, pure titanium as the anode and copper as the cathode. The morphology and structure of the porous film on the substrate were analyzed with the aid of Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy （FESEM） and X-ray Diffraction （XRD）. The effects of the parameters of anodic oxidation （such as voltage, the concentration of sulphuric acid, anodization time and current density） on the aperture and the crystalline phase of the TiO2 porous film were systematically investigated. The results indicate that the increase of current density facilitates the augment of the aperture and the generation of anatase and mille. In addition, the forming mechanism of anatase and mille TiO2 porous films was discussed.

Fabrication of self-organized TiO_2 nanotubes by anodic oxidation and their photocatalysis

Self-organized TiO2 nanotubes were prepared on titanium foils at anodizing voltage of 20V in 0.5% HF solution for 2030min in order to provide a novel high-efficiency photocatalyst. And the resulting TiO2 nanotubes, in periodic ring structures around their exteriors, are open on the top, while closed on the bottom. After annealing for 3h in ambient atmosphere, the anatase phase was found, with the increasing content, in the originally amorphous TiO2 nanotubes treated at 350, 400 and 450℃; whereas the rutile phase emerged at 500℃, and the nanotube architecture could be preserved till 550℃. Furthermore, TiO2 nanotubes, fabricated at anodizing voltage of 20V for 20min and then annealed at 400℃, possesses the best photo-catalytic activity, i.e. the decolourisation of methyl orange irradiated for 40min is 99.6%.

Electrochemical Fabrication of Pd-Ag Alloy Nanowire Arrays in Anodic Alumina Oxide Template

The synthesis of Pd-Ag alloy nanowires in nanopores of porous anodic aluminum oxide （AAO） template by electrochemical deposition technique was reported. Pd-Ag alloy nanowires with 16%-25% Ag content are expected to serve as candidates of useful nanomaterials for the hydrogen sensors. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and energy dispersed X-ray spectroscopy （EDX） were employed to characterize the morphologies and compositions of the Pd-Ag nanowires. X-ray diffraction （XRD） was used to characterize the phase properties of the Pd-Ag nanowires. Pd-Ag alloy nanowire arrays with 17.28%-23.76% Ag content have been successfully fabricated by applying potentials ranging from -0.8 to -1.0 V （vs SCE）. The sizes of the alloy nanowires are in agreement with the diameter of AAO nanopores. The underpotential deposition of Ag＋ on Pd and Au plays an important role in producing an exceptionally high Ag content in the alloy. Alloy compositions can still be controlled by adjusting the ion concentration ratio of Pd^2＋ and Ag＋ and the electrodeposition processes. XRD shows that nanowires obtained are in the form of alloy of Pd and Ag.

EIS Characterization of Sealed Anodic Oxide Films on Titanium Alloy Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al

Anodic oxide films grown on titanium alloy Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al in the solution of sodium tartrate, then sealed in boiling deionised water and calcium acetate solution were observed by using field emission scanning electron microscopy （FE-SEM）, and were chemically analysed by using energy dispersive spectroscopy （EDS）. Corrosion behaviour was investigated in a 3.5% sodium chloride solution, using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy （EIS）. The morphology of the anodic oxide films was dependent on the sealing processes. The surface sealed in calcium acetate solution presented a more homogeneous and smooth structure compared with that sealed in boiling deionised water. The corrosion resistance of the oxide films sealed in calcium acetate solution was better than that sealed in boiling deionised water.

Cylindrical and Spherical Membranes of Anodic Aluminum Oxide with Highly Ordered Conical Nanohole Arrays

Nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) with uniform and controllable pore diameters and periods over a wide range has been explored for various applications due to relatively easy fabrication processes. Moreover, one of the interesting possibilities afforded by the anodization process is that the anodization can take place on aluminum films with arbitrary shape, such as a section of cylinder or sphere, which has not yet been well studied or applied in nanofabrication. In this paper, we report that highly ordered conical nanohole arrays prepared by the anodization of cylindrical and spherical Al films have been fabricated. As can be seen by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), straight nanohole arrays have been grown along the radical directions of the cylindrical or spherical alumina membrane without bending or branching at all, the diameter of the conical nanoholes and the diameter change along individual channels can be tuned by changing the curvature of the membrane. These new types of templates may open new opportunities in optical, electronic and electrochemical applications.

A Study on the Relationship between Anodic Oxidation and the Thermal Load on the Aluminum Alloy Piston of a Gasoline Engine

In order to analyze the influence of the anodizing process on the thermal load of an aluminum alloy piston,dedicated temperature tests have been carried out using the Hardness Plug method and the results for the anodized piston have been compared with those obtained separately for an original aluminum piston.In addition,numerical simulations have been conducted to analyze the temperature field and thermal stress distribution.Simulations and experiments show that the maximum temperature of the anodized piston is 16.36%and 5.4%smaller than that of the original piston under the condition of maximum torque and maximum power,respectively.The thermal stress of the temperature field of both pistons is within 50 Mpa,which meets the strength requirements of the material at high temperature.However,the area with significant thermal stress of the anodized piston is significantly smaller than that of the original piston.Combined with the fatigue analysis data,it can be seen that the safety factor of the anodized piston greater than 1.8 is 99.13%.Therefore,adopting the anodizing process not only reduces the piston thermal load,but also helps to extend its life and improve its reliability.