Nanoporous Anodic Aluminum-Iron Oxide with a Tunable Band Gap Formed on the FeAl₃ Intermetallic Phase

Nanostructured anodic oxide layers on an FeAl₃ intermetallic alloy was prepared by two-step anodization in 20 wt.% H₂SO₄ at 0 °C. The obtained anodic oxide coating was subjected to phase and chemical composition analysis using XPS and XRD techniques. An analysis of the band gap of individual coatings was also performed. The applied parameters of the anodization process were determined, enabling the formation of a nanostructured coating on the FeAl₃ intermetallic alloy. Tests were carried out on samples produced at a voltage between 10 V and 22.5 V in 2.5 V steps. The produced coatings were subjected to an annealing process at 900 °C for 2 h in an argon protective atmosphere. Moreover, the influence of the substrate chemical composition on the chemical and phase composition of the anodic oxide are discussed. Band gaps of 2.37 eV at 22.5 V and 2.64 eV at 10 V were obtained directly after the anodizing process. After applying the heat treatment, band gap values of 2.10 eV at 22.5 Vand 2.48 eV for the coating produced at 10 V were obtained.