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.

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.

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.

Influence of oxidation heat on hard anodic film of aluminum alloy

The special experimental device and sulfuric acid electrolyte were adopted to study the influence of anodic oxidation heat on hard anodic film for 2024 aluminum alloy. Compared with the oxidation heat transferred to the electrolyte through anodic film, the heat transferred to the coolant through aluminum substrate is more beneficial to the growth of anodic film. The film forming speed, film thickness, density and hardness are significantly increased as the degree of undercooling of the coolant increases. The degree of undercooling of the coolant, which is necessary for the growth of anodic film, is related to the degree of undercooling of the electrolyte, thickness of aluminum substrate, thickness of anodic film, natural parameters of bubble covering and current density. The microstructure and performance of the oxidation film could be controlled by the temperature of the coolant.

Photoelectrochemical seawater oxidation with metal oxide materials:Challenges and opportunities

Photocatalytic water oxidation is a crucial counter-electrode reaction in the process of photoelectrochemical energy conversion.Despite its importance,challenges remain in effectively and sustainably converting water to oxygen,particularly with readily available and inexpensive electrolyte solutions such as seawater.While metal oxide materials have demonstrated their advantages in promoting efficiency by reducing overpotential and improving light utilization,stability remains limited by corrosion in multicomponent seawater.In this paper,we reviewed the relationship between four basic concepts including photoelectrochemistry,metal oxide,water oxidation and seawater to better understand the challenges and opportunities in photoelectrochemical(PEC)seawater oxidation.To overcome these challenges,the advances in material design,interfacial modification,local environment control and reactor design have been further reviewed to benefit the industrial PEC seawater oxidation.Noticeably,we demonstrate engineered layered metal oxide electrodes and cell structures that enable powerful and stable seawater oxidation.We also outline and advise on the future direction in this area.

Phenol degradation by anodic oxidation on boron-doped diamond electrode combining TiO_2 Photocatalysis

Boron-doped diamond （BDD） electrocatalysis is combined with photocatalysis using titanium dioxide （TiO2） as a catalyst to improve pollutant-oxidation efficiency. Phenol solution is chosen as model wastewater. Different methods involving BDD and/or TiO2 during the degradation processes are compared. Parameters such as the currency density and initial concentration are varied in order to determine their effects on the oxidation process. Moreover, the degradation kinetics of phenol is experimentally studied. The results reveal the superiority of series combination of BDD and TiO2, especially the treatment process of electrocatalysis and succedent photocatalysis, and the optimum working currency density for electrocatalysis is 25.48 mA/cm2. The removal rate decreases with the increase in the initial phenol concentration and the degradation reaction follows quasi-first-order kinetics equation.

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.

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.

Photocatalytic activity of porous TiO_2 films prepared by anodic oxidation

Anatase titanium dioxide is an active photocatalyst, however, it is difficult to be immobilized on the substrate. The crystalline TiO2 porous film was prepared directly on the surface of pure titanium by anodic oxidation. The film was then used for photocatalysis via the methyl orange degradation method. The effects of anodization voltage, pH value, TiO2 film area and degradation time on the photocatalyst were investigated respectively by UV-visible spectrum. It was indicated that the TiO2 film prepared by anodic oxidation at 140 V had the best photocatalysis capability and the degradation of methyl orange was accelerated with acid addition.

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.

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%.

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.

Evolution of insoluble eutectic Si particles in anodic oxidation films during adipic–sulfuric acid anodizing processes of ZL114A aluminum alloys

The effects of insoluble eutectic Si particles on the growth of anodic oxide films on ZL114A aluminum alloy substrates were in- vestigated by optical microscopy （OM） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. The anodic oxidation was performed at 25℃ and a con- stant voltage of 15 V in a solution containing 50 g/L sulfuric acid and 10 g/L adipic acid. The thickness of the formed anodic oxidation film was approximately 7.13 μm. The interpore distance and the diameters of the major pores in the porous layer of the film were within the ap- proximate ranges of 10~20 nm and 5-10 nm, respectively. Insoluble eutectic Si particles strongly influenced the morphology of the anodic oxidation films. The anodic oxidation films exhibited minimal defects and a uniform thickness on the ZL114A substrates; in contrast, when the front of the oxide oxidation films encountered eutectic Si particles, defects such as pits and non-uniform thickness were observed, and pits were observed in the films.

Calcination/acid-activation treatment of an anodic oxidation TiO_2/Ti film catalyst

The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of calcination/acid-activation on the composition, structure, and photocatalytic （PC） reduction property of an anodic oxidation TiO2/Ti film catalyst. The surface morphology and phase composition were examined by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The catalytic property of the film catalysts was evaluated through the removal rate of potassium chromate during the PC reduction process. The results showed that the film catalysts were composed of anatase and rutile TiO2 with a micro-porous surface structure. The calcination treatment increased the content of TiO2 in the film, changed the relative ratio of anatase and rutile TiO2, and decreased the size of the micro pores of the film catalysts. The removal rate of potassium chromate was related to the technique parameters of calcination/acid-activation treatment. When the anodic oxidation TiO2/Ti film catalyst was calcined at 873 K for 30 min and then acid-activated in the concentrated H2SO4 for 60 min, it presented the highest catalytic property, with the removal rate of potassium chromate of 96.3% during the PC reduction process under the experimental conditions.

Kinetic mechanism of anodic oxidation of tantalum in nitrate melts

The data of anodic oxidation of tantalum in high temperature nitrate melts were regressed according to 41 kinds of probable kinetic mechanism. The results show that the process follows the parabolic law α 2= kt , which means that the process of anodic oxidation of tantalum is limited by the movement of positive vacancies of tantalum ions. The voltage has an effect on the rate constant in prior period, which implies that the electromigration exists at the beginning of film growth. The breakdown of films exists in whole process. The films obtained are composed of orthorhombic β Ta 2O 5 and TaO y .[

Synthesis of Micron-sized Hexagonal and Flowerlike Nanostructures of Lead Oxide (PbO_2) by Anodic Oxidation of Lead

Micron sized hexagon- and flower-like nanostructures of lead oxide（α-PbO2） have been synthesized by very simple and cost effective route of anodic oxidation of lead sheet. These structures were easily obtained by the simple variation of applied voltage from 2-6 V between the electrodes. Lead sheet was used as an anode and platinum sheet served as a cathode. Anodic oxidation at 2 V resulted in the variable edge sized（1-2 μm） hexagon-like structures in the electrolyte. When the applied potential was increased to 4 V a structure of distorted hexagons consisting of some flower-like structures were obtained. Further increment of potential up to 6 V resulted in flower like structures of α-PbO2 having six petals. The diameter of the flower-like structures was 200-500 nm and the size of a petal was 100-200 nm.