Characterization of anodic growth and dissolution of antimony oxide films

O. E. LINAREZ PÉREZ; M. A. PÉREZ; M. LÓPEZ TEIJELO

JOURNAL OF ELECTROANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

Elsevier

Año: 2009 vol. 632 p. 64 - 64

0022-0728

p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal">The anodic growth, morphology and stability of antimony oxide films grown in buffered phosphate electrolytes has been characterized by electrochemical methods, in-situ ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy. The anodic voltammetric behaviour for the growth of antimony oxide films at low potentials can be interpreted as the stepwise electroformation of different antimony species with formation of soluble species up to give Sb2O3. This is followed by the anodic film growth at higher potentials through an ionic conduction mechanism caused by a ?Lhigh field?L, which drives the ionic migration as in typical "valve" metals. Ellipsometric results indicate that anodic films dissolve in the electrolysis media. Anodic Sb2O3 films are anisotropic, with complex refractive indices lower than those of crystalline antimony oxides. This is ascribed to hydration, anions incorporation or lack of crystalline structure in anodic oxides. The el