Cubic stabilized zirconium oxide anodic films prepared at room temperature

A new methodology was developed to obtain cubic, stabilized zirconium oxide films prepared at room temperature. The zirconium oxide films were prepared electrochemically by anodic oxidation of metallic zirconium at constant current density. The oxide films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The oxide films grown in H3PO4 solutions are monoclinic, and the ones prepared in phosphoric acid solution containing Na-2[Ca(EDTA)] complex are cubic. An explanation for the zirconium oxide stabilization obtained by the electrochemical method is proposed that assumes a destruction and rebuilding of the oxide film during the dielectric breakdown.