| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 178802 | Electrochemistry Communications | 2015 | 4 Pages |
•Hexagrams were clearly revealed on the surface of the barrier layer.•Initial breaching begins with six small holes around the center of each cell.•The small holes merge subsequently into a primary circular opening.•The primary opening diameter has a lower limit dependent on pore diameter.
Hexagrams were revealed on the barrier layer of porous anodic alumina during chemical etching and ion milling, indicating non-uniform etching. Six-membered ring structure holes appear firstly around the center of each cell and subsequently merge into a primary circular opening. A new pore-opening mechanism is proposed, and the possible origin of the non-uniform etching rate is also discussed.
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