Pecularities of tubular anodic alumina formation

Abstract

The formation conditions of anodic alumina with a tubular structure have been investigated. It is shown that alumina has the self-ordered tubular structure at temperature of barrier oxide layer to be several tens of degrees more than electrolyte temperature in cases of viscous electrolytes (viscosity more than 10^-2 Pa·s at 20 °C) and hundred degrees more in cases of low viscous electrolytes (viscosity less than 10^-2 Pa·s at 20°C). It is assumed that temperature of the barrier layer during the formation of the self-ordered tubular alumina can reach several hundred degrees because of the presence of spherical structures in the pores mouths. These spheres are expected to be formed due to the melting of an aluminum substrate during the anodizing process.