Electrochemically Assisted Self-Assembling of ZnF2-ZnO Nanospheres: Formation of Hierarchical Thin Porous Films

The present work demonstrates the anodic formation of ZnF2-ZnO nanosphere layers by anodization of a zinc substrate in a fluoride containing 2-methyl-1,3-propandiol electrolyte at the substrate temperature ranging from −2°C to −30°C. The anodically grown films were characterized using FE-SEM, EDX, XPS and XRD techniques. Thermal oxidation of the film at 300°C leads to the conversion of all ZnF2 into crystalline ZnO, together with the partial fusion of nanospheres and expansion of the grains. The electrical resistance of the films was found to depend on fluoride content and crystallinity.