Low-Temperature Electrochemical Synthesis of ZrO2 Films on Zirconium Substrates: Deposition of Thick Amorphous Films and in situ Crystallization on Zirconium Anode

The feasibility of synthesizing crystalline ZrO₂ films at low temperatures was evaluated using an electrochemical method. Anodization of zirconium-metal substrates in tetraethyl ammonium hydroxide (TEAOH) solutions under constant applied voltage conditions at ∼25° and ∼100°C was investigated. The chemistry and microstructure of the anodic oxide films deposited on the zirconium-metal substrates under the above conditions were characterized using X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that, with sufficiently high applied voltages (in the range of 300 V) at pH ∼9.5, the initial dissolution of the zirconium anode resulted in the local saturation of the electrolyte solution with Zr⁴⁺, forming Zr(OH)⁻₅, which deposited electrophoretically on the anode as a thick, gelatinous film at 25°C. Similar treatments at 100°C resulted in an in situ crystallization of Zr(OH)₄ gel to monoclinic ZrO₂.     

Conductive-filler-filled poly(ϵ-caprolactone)/poly(vinyl butyral) blends. I. Crystallization behavior and morphology

The crystallization behavior and morphology of poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL)/poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) blends containing carbon black (CB) were studied as functions of PVB and CB content. The presence of CB had no influence on the primary nucleation of PCL crystals or the spherulitic growth rate. They were only influenced by the blend ratio of PVB. The growth rates of spherulites were unchanged throughout the crystallization process, regardless of the CB content. The results indicate that the concentration of PCL at the front of growing spherulite remains constant during crystallization. The distribution of CB in the spherulites was observed using atomic force microscopy to explain these results. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 64: 797–802, 1997