Reply to Heinschke, S.; Schneider, J.J. Comment on "Pashchanka, M. Conceptual Progress for Explaining and Predicting Self-Organization on Anodized Aluminum Surfaces. 2021, , 2271".

First of all, I would like to thank Silvio Heinschke and Jörg J. Schneider (hereinafter referred to as "the Readers") for preparing their Comment [..

A Strategy towards Light-Absorbing Coatings Based on Optically Black Nanoporous Alumina with Tailored Disorder.

This work provides a conceptually new way of thinking about the light-absorbing mechanism in additive-free black porous anodic alumina (black PAA, or b-PAA) layers obtained via "burning" anodizing regime. The new insight into the controllable photonic effects in PAA allows the implementation of the optical blackening method based on the deliberate randomization of the initially well-ordered nanopore arrangement. The proposed black coloration mechanism rests solely on the destructive interference of light after its multiple scattering.

Conceptual Progress for Explaining and Predicting Self-Organization on Anodized Aluminum Surfaces.

Over the past few years, researchers have made numerous breakthroughs in the field of aluminum anodizing and faced the problem of the lack of adequate theoretical models for the interpretation of some new experimental findings. For instance, spontaneously formed anodic alumina nanofibers and petal-like patterns, flower-like structures observed under AC anodizing conditions, and hierarchical pores whose diameters range from several nanometers to sub-millimeters could be explained neither by the classical field-assisted dissolution theory nor by the plastic flow model. In addition, difficulties arose in explaining the basic indicators of porous film growth, such as the nonlinear current-voltage characteristics of electrochemical cells or the evolution of hexagonal pore patterns at the early stages of anodizing experiments.

Multilevel self-organization on anodized aluminium: discovering hierarchical honeycomb structures from nanometre to sub-millimetre scale.

Herein, the one-step spontaneous formation of multiscale hierarchical honeycomb-like textures on anodized aluminium is reported for the first time. A self-organized array of unprecedentedly large sub-millimetre hemispherical pores was observed on the upper hierarchy level, while superimposed well-ordered hexagonal cells on the lower hierarchy level maintained their classically known nanoscale self-ordering periodicity (50-60 nm). The larger macroscopic cells (0.

Evidence for electrohydrodynamic convection as a source of spontaneous self-ordering in porous anodic alumina films.

A comparative study of self-ordering behaviour of anodic alumina films fabricated in a series of diluted (down to 0.05 M) oxalic acid electrolytes allowed developing a relationship between the supporting electrolyte concentration and self-ordering voltages for the formation of porous oxide materials. Besides its practical importance, this work elucidates some fundamental principles of porous alumina formation, e.

Porous alumina-metallic Pt/Pd, Cr or Al layered nanocoatings with fully controlled variable interference colors.

Metallic Cr, Al, and Pt/Pd alloy have been deposited by magnetron sputtering or thermal evaporation (resistance heating or electron beam heating) onto nanoporous anodic alumina and have allowed to facilitate a cost-effective technique for manufacturing of pigment-free colored coatings on aluminum. Bright and saturated colors were achieved using the interference effect, and tuned by variation of the uniform oxide film thickness. Morphology and properties of these coatings were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and reflectance measurements (UV/Vis/NIR spectrometry).

Template based precursor route for the synthesis of CuInSe2 nanorod arrays for potential solar cell applications.

Polycrystalline CuInSe2 (CISe) nanorods are promising for the fabrication of highly efficient active layers in solar cells. In this work we report on a nanocasting approach, which uses track-etched polycarbonate films as hard templates for obtaining three-dimensionally (3D) arranged CISe nanorod arrays. Copper and indium ketoacidoximato complexes and selenourea were employed as molecular precursors.

Experimental validation of the novel theory explaining self-organization in porous anodic alumina films.

The lack of a reliable method for theoretical prediction of nanoporous anodic alumina films obtained from non-familiar electrolytes prompted the search of a viable solution to this problem. The theory explaining the self-assembly mechanism was described in our preceding work. Here, the results of an extensive validation test are presented.

A molecular approach to Cu doped ZnO nanorods with tunable dopant content.

A novel molecular approach to the synthesis of polycrystalline Cu-doped ZnO rod-like nanostructures with variable concentrations of introduced copper ions in ZnO host matrix is presented. Spectroscopic (PLS, variable temperature XRD, XPS, ELNES, HERFD) and microscopic (HRTEM) analysis methods reveal the +II oxidation state of the lattice incorporated Cu ions. Photoluminescence spectra show a systematic narrowing (tuning) of the band gap depending on the amount of Cu(II) doping.