Electrochemical treatment based surface modification device

Abstract

The invention provides an electrochemical treatment based surface modification device that comprises a solution tank, a cathode terminal, and an anode terminal. The solution tank is filled with an acidic solution which contains first valence metal ions. The first valence metal ions are partially reduced to second valence metal ions at the cathode terminal. The valence of the first valence metal ion is greater than that of the second valence metal ion. The anode terminal is provided an electrically conductive oxide, and the second valence metal ions move from the cathode terminal to the anode terminal to from a metal oxide. Wherein, the deposition and etching of the conductive oxide occur simultaneously on the surface of the anode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrochemical treatment based surface modification device comprising:
 a solution tank filling with an acidic solution, which is comprised first valence metal ions;   a cathode terminal, at which the first valence metal ions are reduced to a second valence metal ions through partial reduction; and   an anode terminal at which a conductive oxide is provided and the second valence metal ions move from the cathode terminal to the anode terminal to form a metal oxide;   wherein, the deposition and etching of the conductive oxide occur simultaneously on the surface of the anode terminal.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first valence metal ions or the second valence metal ions are reduced to a metal on the cathode terminal. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first valence metal ions are tetravalent metal ions and the second valence metal ions are divalent metal ions. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein hydrogen ions and oxygen are formed from oxidation of water on the anode terminal. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein the metal hydroxide is synthesized from the second valence metal ions and water. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 5 , wherein the metal hydroxide converts to the metal oxide on the anode terminal through condensation reaction. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the metal oxide on the anode terminal is etched, and the tetravalent metal ions and fluorine ions are released from the anode terminal. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein metal Sn is formed from reduction of tetravalent metal ions on cathode terminal, and some parts of tetravalent metal ions are deposited with fluorine ions on the anode terminal. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein the metal oxide is fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO). 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the acidic solution is nitric acid.