Use of ionic liquid in fabrication, characterization, and processing of anodic porous alumina

Two different ionic liquids have been tested in the electrochemical fabrication of anodic porous alumina in an aqueous solution of oxalic acid. It was found that during galvanostatic anodization of the aluminum at a current density of 200 mA/cm2, addition of 0.5% relative volume concentration of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoborate resulted in a three-fold increase of the growth rate, as compared to the bare acidic solution with the same acid concentration. This ionic liquid was also used successfully for an assessment of the wettability of the outer surface of the alumina, by means of liquid contact angle measurements. The results have been discussed and interpreted with the aid of atomic force microscopy. The observed wetting property allowed to use the ionic liquid for protection of the pores during a test removal of the oxide barrier layer.