Automated synthesis and characterization of diverse libraries of macroporous alumina

This paper describes the combinatorial fabrication of porous alumina membranes by electrochemical synthesis. Combinatorial methods were successfully applied to generate a 256 member library of porous aluminum oxide with different pore sizes and pore densities. An alternating anodization and etching sequence was performed. Diversity within the library was achieved by changing the anodization time, the number of etching and anodization steps and the applied potential during anodization. It could be shown that the pore size strongly depends on the anodization potential and the uniformity of the pores depends on the last anodization time. A new combinatorial system and approach are presented which have advantages over previous cells and methods in a variety of electrochemical research applications. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.