Advances in application of ionic liquids: fabrication of surface nanoscale oxide structures by anodization of metals and alloys

The use of ionic liquids (ILs) for the known processes for providing the targeted fabrication of the products with the required characteristics is discussed. The advantages of ILs over aqueous solutions of mineral acids in the presence of aggressive fluoride ions are considered by using the examples of anodizing, which leads to a change in the structure of the metal surface. The methods of production of oxide nanoscale dimples, tubes, cells, rods are summarized. Electrochemical finishing of metals and alloys in deep eutectic solvents (DES) and ILs was shown to allow one to obtain new nanoscale structures that are not formed in aqueous acid solutions. The conditions for the formation of unusual nanoscale TiO2 double-wall tubes by anodizing of Ti in ILs are described. The role of the anion and cation nature of IL in the formation of self-ordered nanoscale surface structures is discussed.