Porous Alumina:Fabrication and Applications

R.R: KOROPECKI

Puebla

Workshop; Potentials of thin films for use in particle detection; 2015

Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla

Aluminum anodizing may result in dense layers (barrier layers) of aluminum oxide or in a porous material, depending on the anodization conditions . Nanostructured porous anodic alumina can be prepared so as to have an ordered pore structure arranged in a periodic network of pores in size limited domains (quasi-ordered alumina) or even with pores ordered in large areas. In this presentation will be described the preparation conditions of porous anodic alumina membranes with a structure of self-ordered pores and the processes occurring during the preparation. Besides the morphological characteristics of the membranes prepared in these conditions, aspects of the characterization and applications are described. In particular an optofluidic technique is used to characterize the morphology and to monitor the process of widening of pores. Preparation conditions of one-dimensional photonic crystals (distributed Bragg reflectors) usable as platforms for chemical sensors or biosensors are described. As other application it will be described the study of pore filling with ferromagnetic materials (particularly nickel), seeking to overcome the superparamagnetic limit by the shape anisotropy of the nanowires. Preliminary results of ferromagnetic resonance of nickel nanowires embedded in a porous anodic alumina template are reported showing shape magnetic effects, compatible with the shape and orientation of the nanowires.