Fabrication of TiO[sub 2]-Ru(O[sub 2])/Al[sub 2]O[sub 3] Composite Nanostructures on Glass by Al Anodization and Electrodeposition

Abstract

A novel process of fabricating transparent TiO 2 -RuO 2 /Al 2 O 3 composite nanostructures on indium tin oxide (ITO)-deposited glass substrate is described. Porous alumina films with pore diameters ranging from 5 to 120 nm were first formed by anodization of aluminum layers that were sputter-deposited on glass substrates coated with a tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) film. After removing the insulative barrier layer by a chemical dissolution, the porous alumina nanostructures on ITO/glass were then used as template electrodes in a cathodic electrosynthesis to deposit titania-ruthenium compounds within the nanopores. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analytic results showed that titanium and ruthenium elements in the as-electrodeposited specimens exists in oxidation (IV) and metal state, respectively. The ruthenium worked as the conducting component that enables continuous electrodeposition of titania-based deposits with high electrical resistance. After heating at 873 K for 2 h, transparent composite nanostructures with TiO 2 -RuO 2 nanofibers (φ20 ∼ 180 nm) embedded in alumina films on the ITO/glass substrate were finally achieved.