Electrochemical deposition of lead and tellurium into barrierless nanoporous anodic aluminium oxide

Electrochemical deposition of Pb and Te into barrierless nanoporous aluminium oxide films on Ti substrates was studied. Porous anodic alumina on Ti was prepared by two-step anodization in oxalic acid of Al layer sputtered on Ti. The barrier layer was eliminated by the controllable acidic treatment of anodized samples. The effectiveness of the barrier layer dissolution was studied electrochemically using lead deposition-oxidation test reaction. Electrodeposition of Te into porous anodic alumina films was found to proceed with overvoltage related both to nucleation barrier and diffusion limitation in the pores. Lead underpotential deposition on Te particles electrodeposited in anodic alumina films was considered. It is characterized by high irreversibility due to the effective chemical interaction between Te nanoparticles and lead adatoms resulting in PbTe nanoparticles formation.

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► Barrierless porous anodic alumina was formed by two-step anodization of Ti/Al.
► Barrier layer was removed by controllable acidic treatment.
► Amorphous Te was electrochemically deposited into anodic alumina.
► Lead underpotential deposition on Te in anodic alumina was considered.
► PbTe was formed in anodic alumina with the use of Te as precursor.