Anodic dissolution of metals in methoxyethanol—a way to new precursors for sol-gel technology

Abstract Electrochemically prepared methoxyethoxide solutions have been suggested as precursors for sol-gel technology. Methoxyethoxides demonstrate higher stability in organic solvents than alkoxides; chelating properties of the ether oxygen cause considerable stability of methoxyethoxides to hydrolysis in comparison with the derivatives of aliphatic alcohols. This makes methoxyethoxides promising precursors for oxide synthesis. Methoxyethanol proved an exceptionally convenient solvent for electrochemical synthesis. The electrochemically prepared solutions demonstrate unique film-forming properties and were used for synthesis of the films of complex perovskites BaM11 1/3Mv 2/3O3 (M11 = Zn, Co, Ni; Mv = Nb, Ta), yttrium-stabilized ZrO2, PZT.