High-speed galvanostatic anodizing without oxide burning using a nanodimpled aluminum surface for nanoporous alumina fabrication

Rapid formation of a porous alumina film without oxide burning was achieved by anodizing in etidronic acid at large current densities using a nanodimpled aluminum surface. After the electropolished aluminum specimens were galvanostatically anodized in a 0.3 M etidronic acid solution at 293 K, a uniform porous alumina film without oxide burning was formed at relatively low current densities of up to 20 Am−2. After the first anodizing process, an array of dimples was fabricated on the aluminum surface by oxide film removal in a chromic acid/phosphoric acid solution. After the nanostructured aluminum specimen was galvanostatically anodized once again under the same conditions, the possible applied current density without burning increased with the size of the nanodimples, and the current density during the high-speed anodizing process of the dimpled aluminum specimen increased by five times. Many pores grew on the whole surface of the aluminum dimples from the initial anodizing stage; then, pores that grew from the bottom of the dimples survived the anodizing process, and a clear porous alumina film was formed as the voltage reached the maximum value.