Hedrich Carina, Petit Robin R, Minjauw Matthias M, Burson Anna R, Haugg Stefanie, Furlan Kaline P, Detavernier Christophe, Dendooven Jolien, Blick Robert H, Zierold Robert
Center for Hybrid Nanostructures, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany.
Integrated Ceramic-based Materials Systems Group, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Denickestraße 15, 21073, Hamburg, Germany.
Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 29;15(1):15030. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-98635-3.
Nanostructured materials receive great interest nowadays due to their unique properties, increased surface areas, and superior performances with associated reduced material usage. However, directly nanostructuring functional materials themselves can be technologically challenging. Hence, nanostructured substrates such as anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) can serve as templates for depositing active materials. The templates' chemical stability is crucial for accurately assessing functional materials. Since AAO structures incorporate electrolyte ions during anodization, their chemical stability is influenced by the subsequent processing after anodization. This work investigates the effect of various post-anodization modifications on the surface chemistry and photocatalytic performance of bare AAO structures. Treatments with HO or HPO can stabilize the photocatalytic performance of the AAO templates over consecutive measurements. XPS measurements indicate that such stabilization results from AAO surface chemistry alterations. Further, we explore the functionalization of these modified AAO templates with photocatalysts by atomic layer deposition. The photocatalytic performance of TiO as a chemically stable photocatalyst is not affected by the templates' post-anodization treatment. In contrast, the performance of templates functionalized with FeO as an inherent chemically instable photocatalyst depends on the template stability. This work highlights the importance of chemically stable template materials for exploring the properties of new functional materials.
如今，纳米结构材料因其独特的性能、增大的表面积、卓越的性能以及相关的材料用量减少而备受关注。然而，直接对功能材料进行纳米结构化本身在技术上可能具有挑战性。因此，诸如阳极氧化铝（AAO）之类的纳米结构基底可以用作沉积活性材料的模板。模板的化学稳定性对于准确评估功能材料至关重要。由于AAO结构在阳极氧化过程中会纳入电解质离子，其化学稳定性受阳极氧化后的后续处理影响。这项工作研究了各种阳极氧化后修饰对裸AAO结构的表面化学和光催化性能的影响。用HO或HPO处理可以在连续测量中稳定AAO模板的光催化性能。X射线光电子能谱（XPS）测量表明，这种稳定性源于AAO表面化学的改变。此外，我们通过原子层沉积探索了这些修饰的AAO模板与光催化剂的功能化。作为化学稳定光催化剂的TiO的光催化性能不受模板阳极氧化后处理的影响。相比之下，用作为固有化学不稳定光催化剂的FeO功能化的模板的性能取决于模板的稳定性。这项工作突出了化学稳定的模板材料对于探索新型功能材料性能的重要性。
