Electrochemical synthesis of yttrium oxide nanotubes

The synthesis of yttrium oxide nanotubes using a nonaquous electrochemical method that involves oxide transfer to Y(III) precursors was investigated. The synthetic conditions used in the experiment for depositing yttrium oxide were designed to avoid the production of OH ^- by directly producing oxide phases. This was achieved by electrochemical reduction of oxygen atom transfer reagents under nonaqueous, aprotic conditions in the presence of Y(III) precursors. In the presence of Y(III) precursors the generation of oxide donor species resulted in the deposition of yttrium oxide. Repeated scanning over the potential range is found to result in decreasing reduction current and deposition of visible films on the electrode surface. Scanning electron microscopy of the deposits show the formation of uniform, horn-shaped nanotubes with narrow size distribution coexisting with small nodular deposits.