Search

Hydrophobic and oleophilic Si-based cotton fabrics have recently gained a lot of attention in oil/water separation due to their high efficiency. In this study, we present the effect of O2 plasma pre-treatment on the final properties of two Si-based cotton membranes obtained from dip coating and plasma polymerization, using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as starting polymeric precursor. The structural characterizations indicate the presence of Si bond on both the modified cotton surfaces, with an increase of the carbon bond, assuring the success in surface modification. On the other hand, employing O2 plasma strongly changes the cotton morphology, inducing specific roughness and affecting the hydrophobicity durability and separation efficiency. In particular, the wettability has been retained after 20 laundry tests at 40 °C and 80 °C, and, for separation efficiency, even after 30 cycles, an improvement in the range of 10–15%, both at room temperature and at 90 °C can be observed. These results clearly demonstrate that O2 plasma pre-treatment, an eco-friendly, non-toxic, solvent-free, and one-step method for inducing specific functionalities on surfaces, is very effective in enhancing the oil/water separation properties for Si-based cotton membranes, especially in combination with plasma polymerization procedure for Si-based deposition.

This work is devoted to the development of non-lithographic template methods of synthesis. These methods have a significant advantage in terms of structure formation: there is no need to design and produce masks, which greatly simplifies the process, and more of them can work with nonplanar substrates. The purpose of this study was to reveal the conditions for the synthesis of titanium dioxide xerogel films of different topologies as well as to develop a technique for non-lithographic template electrochemical synthesis of micron metal particles arrays and to study the structure of the resulting coatings. The films were deposited on the surface of substrates via dip coating. Specific topology of the films was achieved by template sol-gel synthesis. Their structures were analyzed by SEM and XRD. Template synthesis of metal micro particles were realized by pulsed electrochemical deposition of metals into the perforations of xerogel films. Obtained materials were analyzed by SEM and XRD; the element distribution on the surface was determined by the EDS detector of SEM. Based on the analysis results, we suggest the mechanisms of formation of the xerogel topology and proved the efficiency of pulsed electrodeposition for template synthesis of micron particles arrays.

The chemical modification of electrode surfaces has attracted significant attention for lowering the limit of detection or for improving the recognition of biomolecules, however, the chemical processes are complex, dangerous, and difficult to control. Therefore, instead of the chemical process, we physically modified the surface of carbon-nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane composite electrodes by dip coating them with functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (F-MWCNTs). These electrodes are used as working electrodes in electrochemistry, where they act as a recognition layer for sequence-specific DNA sensing through π–π interactions. The F-MWCNT-modified electrodes showed a limit of detection of 19.9 fM, which was 1250 times lower than that of pristine carbon/polydimethylsiloxane electrodes in a previous study, with a broad linear range of 1–1000 pM. The physically modified electrode was very stable during the electrode regeneration process after DNA detection. Our method paves the way for utilizing physical modification to significantly lower the limit of detection of a biosensor system as an alternative to chemical processes.

In this research, three different sets of hematite (α-Fe2O3) films of various thicknesses were prepared using dip, spin, and combined dip/spin coating methods. α-Fe2O3 films of 450–500, 740–800 and 920–980 ± 30 nm thicknesses were prepared using each of the coating methods, and their photoelectrochemical (PEC) behaviour was investigated. Dip coated films produced the best photoresponse while the films prepared using the spin coating method yielded the least photocurrent values across films of different thicknesses. Maximum photocurrent densities of 34.6, 7.8, and 13.5 μA/cm2 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) were obtained for the dip, spin and combined dip/spin coated films with a thickness of 740–800 ± 30 nm respectively. Improved crystallization, low charge transfer resistance at the α-Fe2O3/electrolyte interface, high surface states capacitance and the more negative flat band potential values obtained for dip coated films have been associated with the enhanced photocurrent response recorded for the films. The preferential crystal growth of spin coated films in the (104) plane associated with low electron mobility and the high resistance to charge transfer at the α-Fe2O3/electrolyte interface of the films is largely responsible for their low photoresponse. This study underscores the significance of simultaneously optimizing both coating techniques for film deposition and the film’s thickness in preparing nanostructured α-Fe2O3 films for PEC applications.

Hydrophobic porous metallic membranes can be integrated in a microreactor for in situ separation of steam at high temperatures. This study investigates the fabrication and characterization of hydrophobic coatings on metallic substrates. Two different coating methods were explored: (1) Plasma Enhanced—Chemical Vapor Deposition (PE-CVD) to form amorphous carbon silicon-doped a-C:H:Si:O thin films and (2) Direct Immersion in fluoroalkyl silane (FAS-13) solution using dip coating to form Self-Assembled Monolayers. The results on wettability as well as SEM images and EDS/WDS analyses indicate that the coated sintered stainless steel membranes are adequate as hydrophobic surfaces, maintaining the porosity of the substrate and withstanding high temperatures. Especially the FAS-13 coating shows very good resistance to temperatures higher than 250 °C. These findings are of special significance for the fabrication of porous metal membranes for separation of steam in high temperature applications.

Phase changing materials (PCMs) microcapsules MPCM32D, consisting of a polymeric melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resin shell surrounding a paraffin core (melting point: 30–32 °C), have been modified by introducing thermally conductive additives on their outer shell surface. As additives, multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and poly (3,4-ethylenedioxyoxythiophene) poly (styrene sulphonate) (PEDOT: PSS) were used in different parts by weight (1 wt.%, 5 wt.%, and 10 wt.%). The main aim of this modification—to enhance the thermal performance of the microencapsulated PCMs intended for textile applications. The morphologic analysis of the newly formed coating of MWCNTs or PEDOT: PSS microcapsules shell was observed by SEM. The heat storage and release capacity were evaluated by changing microcapsules MPCM32D shell modification. In order to evaluate the influence of the modified MF outer shell on the thermal properties of paraffin PCM, a thermal conductivity coefficient (λ) of these unmodified and shell-modified microcapsules was also measured by the comparative method. Based on the identified optimal parameters of the thermal performance of the tested PCM microcapsules, a 3D warp-knitted spacer fabric from PET was treated with a composition containing 5 wt.% MWCNTs or 5 wt.% PEDOT: PSS shell-modified microcapsules MPCM32D and acrylic resin binder. To assess the dynamic thermal behaviour of the treated fabric samples, an IR heating source and IR camera were used. The fabric with 5 wt.% MWCNTs or 5 wt.% PEDOT: PSS in shell-modified paraffin microcapsules MPCM32D revealed much faster heating and significantly slower cooling compared to the fabric treated with the unmodified ones. The thermal conductivity of the investigated fabric samples with modified microcapsules MPCM32D has been improved in comparison to the fabric samples with unmodified ones. That confirms the positive influence of using thermally conductive enhancing additives for the heat transfer rate within the textile sample containing these modified paraffin PCM microcapsules.

International audience; This work relies on the use of dip-coating at various withdrawal speeds to form nanocomposite films, with a detailed analysis of the influence of the mode of deposition on the nanoparticle (NP) concentration in the dried film. While the deposition of polymer solutions on the one hand and colloidal suspensions of NPs on the other hand have been separately studied by dip coating, their combination is far being a simple superposition of the two separate behaviors. The formation of nanocomposite thin films composed of model water-soluble biocompatible polymers (polyvinyl alcohol - PVA and polyvinylpyrrolidone - PVP) loaded with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) was studied through a dip coating process. Flat silicon substrates were removed at a controlled withdrawal speed from an aqueous colloidal suspension. Thin films of PLGA NPs with concentrations ranging from 1 to 10 % wt./wt. in PVA or PVP matrices were prepared. The presence of nanoparticles on the well-established process of thin film deposition was examined, as well as the influence of the deposition regime on the nanoparticle concentration in the deposited coating. We demonstrate that the presence of colloidal dispersion of PLGA nanoparticles in water solution of PVA and PVP does not modify the process of film deposition by dip coating. A typical “V” shaped curve was observed, with two well-known deposition regimes: capillary and draining modes respectively obtained at low and high withdrawal speeds. Due to crystallization at low withdrawal speed (favored by slow evaporation of the solvent) it was not possible to identify individual PLGA nanoparticles by AFM in the case of the PVA matrice. Amorphous PVP nanocomposite films were successfully prepared by dip coating, and allowed us to identify individual PLGA nanoparticles with AFM. Because of the prevalence of an evaporation-driven phenomenon at low withdrawal speed, incorporation of NPs was observed over the whole range of withdrawal speeds, showing original behavior compared to recent studies relying on a pure Landau-Levich regime (i.e. non-evaporative systems). Our results indicate that the nanoparticles were not equally retrieved from the solution in the capillary and the draining regimes. This suggests that the balance between the viscous drag and the interfacial effects depends on the deposition mode and calls for a more detailed analysis of the physical processes involved in both regimes.

Undoped and nickel-doped zinc oxide thin films were deposited on sodalime glass substrates by utilizing dip coating and ultrasonic spray pyrolysis deposition techniques. In both cases zinc acetate and nickel acetylacetonate were used as zinc precursor and nickel dopant source, respectively. XRD analysis confirms the ZnO wurtzite structure with (002) as the preferential orientation.SEM studies show the formation of two types of morphologies, primarily a porous spherical grains with a grain size distribution from 40 to 150 nm and another, rose-like structures with size distribution from 30 to 200 nm, based on different deposition techniques utilized. The elemental depth profiles across the films were investigated by the secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Different gas sensing responses of all ZnO films were obtained for both propane and carbon monoxide gases, at different gas concentrations and operating temperatures. The highest sensing response (~6) for undoped ZnO films was obtained for films deposited by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP). Nevertheless, the highest sensing response (~4 &times, 104) for doped ZnO films was obtained for films deposited by dip coating method. The behavior of sensing responses is explained in detail based on the morphological properties and the amount of Ni impurities incorporated into the crystal lattice.

Improved corrosion protection of low-carbon steel was achieved by barrier non-toxic sol–gel multilayered structures composed of a ZrO2 top coating and TiO2 underlayers. The zirconium precursor solution was maintained as constant, whereas the TiO2 solution composition was modified with two different types of polymers, which were added separately to the starting titanium solution. The phase composition, morphology and corrosion protective properties were analyzed by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Hydrophobicity properties were evaluated by measuring the contact angle with a Ramé-Hart automated goniometer. The potentiodynamic polarization technique was used to determine the corrosion resistance and protective ability of the coatings in a 5% NaCl solution. Both polymeric modifications, as compared to the non-modified titania layer, demonstrated positive effects on the corrosion properties of the structures at conditions of external polarization. Due to the amorphous structure of the zirconia layer and its relatively dense, hydrophobic surface, all of the samples extended the service life of low-carbon steel in a model corrosion medium. The feasibility of the sol–gel deposition method makes it possible to prepare oxide coatings with appropriate surface properties, which ensures high corrosion resistance.

The need for light-weight and high-strength insect-repellant fabrics is of critical importance to the cessation of viral diseases. The goal of the study is to investigate the structure and properties of insect-repellent polyamide fabrics for use in protective garments to guard against mosquitos. Permethrin was applied to the polyamide fabrics through incorporation into the nylon 6 polymer solution during electrospinning and dip coating onto the control untreated and oxygen plasma-treated polyamide fabrics: electropun nylon 6 nanofiber nonwovens, commercially available nylon 6 warp knit tricot, and nylon 66 double weft, knit interlock fabrics. The incorporation of permethrin into the polymer solution before the formation of fibers demonstrated the most efficient way to apply permethrin to the fiber/fabric systems. The plasma treatment significantly increased the amount of permethrin on the surface of the fabrics. All permethrin-containing polyamide fabrics showed excellent fastness of the insecticide to light. The electrospun nylon 6 nonwovens demonstrated the best fastness to washing among the plasma-treated electrospun nylon 6, nylon 66 double weft knit, and nylon 6 warp-knit tricot. All permethrin-treated fabrics were repellent and caused higher percentage of mosquito escape compared to the control untreated fabrics.

To control the degradation rate of magnesium (Mg) alloys, chitosan (CHI) and L-glutamic acid (LGA) were used as coatings on Mg-Zn-Ca alloys via dip coating. In this study, either two or seven CHI/LGA layers were applied as a coating on Mg-2.8Zn-0.8Ca alloy (ZX31) and Mg-2.8Zn-0.8Ca hemostasis clips (ZX31 clips). The morphologies, compositions, and surface roughness of the specimens were characterized via scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and surface measurement devices. The degradation rates and behavior of the specimens were evaluated by immersing them in simulated body fluids and by applying these ZX31 clips on rabbits&rsquo, uterine tubes for five weeks. The specimen with seven layers (ZX31(CHI/LGA)7) exhibited improved corrosion behavior when compared with ZX31 or ZX31(CHI/LGA)2, with a reduced degradation rate of the Mg alloy in a simulated body environment. In vivo experiments showed that ZX31 clips exhibited good biocompatibilities in each group but could not maintain the clamping function for five weeks. The weight loss of ZX31(CHI/LGA)7 was significantly lower than that of the other groups. Consequently, it was verified that CHI can be used as a protective layer on a magnesium alloy surface via in vitro and in vivo experiments.

In this study, photochromic fabrics were prepared by incorporating the spirooxazine derivative of 5-chloro-1,3-dyhydro-1,3,3-trimethylspiro[2H-indole-2,3′-[3H]-naphth [2,1-b] [1,4] oxazine on the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric through a sol-gel coating process. The treated fabrics showed good photochromic response under UV irradiation. In this work, three types of silane were used as the silica precursor and the resultant coatings showed a significant difference in their photochromic response such as Kubelka–Munk function (K/S), change in optical density (ΔOD) rate constant and half-life. The coated fabric shows two different absorption maxima and however it confirms that there is strong influence on the type of silane. The functional group of uncoated and sol-gel coated fabrics are analyzed by ATR-FTIR. The type of the silane also influences the physical properties of the coated fabrics. The surface characteristics were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM), which showed significant changes in the surface micro-roughness after coating.

In this study, we fabricated strain sensors by aligning silver nanowires and transferring them with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and compared the performances of the fabricated strain sensors along the alignment direction. Two types of flexible strain sensors embedded with the aligned silver nanowires were fabricated: one in the longitudinal direction, which is the same as the alignment direction, and the other in the lateral direction, which is perpendicular to the alignment direction. We then evaluated their properties. The proposed longitudinally aligned strain sensor showed the maximum sensitivity (gauge factor (GF) = 89.99) under 25% tensile conditions, which is 7.08 times higher than the sensitivity (GF = 12.71) shown by the laterally aligned strain sensor under 25% tensile conditions. This finding confirmed that the alignment direction of silver nanowires influences the sensitivity of flexible strain sensors. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that the laterally aligned strain sensor (&epsilon, &gt, 60%) can be used in wearable devices because it satisfies the required strain range (&epsilon, 50%). Since the strain sensors were fabricated using the temperature-controlled dip coating process, they can be produced at low cost in large quantities, and thus they have advantages for commercialization. These characteristics will be applicable to various flexible devices as well as to flexible strain sensors.

The recently introduced perovskite solar cell (PSC) technology is a promising candidate for providing low-cost energy for future demands. However, one major concern with the technology can be traced back to morphological defects in the electron selective layer (ESL), which deteriorates the solar cell performance. Pinholes in the ESL may lead to an increased surface recombination rate for holes, if the perovskite absorber layer is in contact with the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate via the pinholes. In this work, we used sol-gel-derived mesoporous TiO2 thin films prepared by block co-polymer templating in combination with dip coating as a model system for investigating the effect of ESL pinholes on the photovoltaic performance of planar heterojunction PSCs. We studied TiO2 films with different porosities and film thicknesses, and observed that the induced pinholes only had a minor impact on the device performance. This suggests that having narrow pinholes with a diameter of about 10 nm in the ESL is in fact not detrimental for the device performance and can even, to some extent improve their performance. A probable reason for this is that the narrow pores in the ordered structure do not allow the perovskite crystals to form interconnected pathways to the underlying FTO substrate. However, for ultrathin (~20 nm) porous layers, an incomplete ESL surface coverage of the FTO layer will further deteriorate the device performance. publishedVersion

Tubular oxygen transport membranes (OTMs) that can be directly integrated in high temperature processes have a large potential to reduce CO2 emissions. However, the challenging processing of these multilayered tubes, combined with strict material stability requirements, has so far hindered such a direct integration. We have investigated if a porous support based on (Y2O3)0.03(ZrO2)0.97 (3YSZ) with a dense composite oxygen membrane consisting of (Y2O3)0.01(Sc2O3)0.10(ZrO2)0.89 (10Sc1YSZ) as an ionic conductor and LaCr0.85Cu0.10Ni0.05O3&minus, &delta, (LCCN) as an electronic conductor could be fabricated as a tubular component, since these materials would provide outstanding chemical and mechanical stability. Tubular components were made by extrusion, dip coating, and co-sintering, and their chemical and mechanical integrity was evaluated. Sufficient gas permeability (&ge, 10&minus, 14 m2) and mechanical strength (&ge, 50 MPa) were achieved with extruded 3YSZ porous support tubes. The high co-sintering temperature required to densify the 10ScYSZ/LCCN membrane on the porous support, however, causes challenges related to the evaporation of chromium from the membrane. This chemical degradation caused loss of the LCCN electronic conducting phase and the formation of secondary lanthanum zirconate compounds and fractures. LCCN is therefore not suitable as the electronic conductor in a tubular OTM, unless means to lower the sintering temperature and reduce the chromium evaporation are found that are applicable to the large-scale fabrication of tubular components.

ZnO-CuO flower-like hetero-nanostructures were successfully prepared by combining hydrothermal and dip coating methods. Flower-like hetero-nanostructures of ZnO-CuO were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and UV-Vis. The sensing properties of ZnO-CuO flower-like hetero-nanostructures to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were evaluated in a chamber containing acetone or isopropanol gas at room temperature. The sensitivity of ZnO-CuO flower-like hetero-nanostructures to VOCs was enhanced compared to that of pure leafage-like ZnO nanostructures. Response and recovery times were about 5 s and 6 s to 50 ppm acetone, and 10 s and 8 s to 50 ppm isopropanol, respectively. The sensing performance of ZnO-CuO flower-like hetero-nanostructures was attributed to the addition of CuO that led to formation of p-n junctions at the interface between the CuO and ZnO. In addition, the sensing mechanism was briefly discussed.

Heavily In doped zinc oxide (IZO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates by dip-coating method with different concentrations of indium. The effect of heavy In doping on the structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of ZnO was discussed on the basis of XRD, AFM, UV-Vis spectra and Hall effect measurements. The diffraction patterns of all deposited films were indexed to the ZnO wurtzite structure. However, high In doping damaged the films crystallinity. The highest optical transmittance observed in the visible region (>93 %) exceeded that of ITO: the absolute rival of the most commercial TCOs. The grain size significantly decreased from 140 nm for undoped ZnO to 17.1 nm for IZO with the greatest In ratio. The roughness decreased with increasing In atomic ratio, indicating an improvement in the surface quality. Among all synthesized films, the sample obtained with 11 at.% indium showed the best TCO properties: the highest transmittance (93.5 %) and the lowest resistivity (0.41 Ωcm) with a carrier concentration of 2.4 × 1017 cm−3. These results could be a promising solution for possible photonic and optoelectronic applications.

International audience; Niobium pentoxide, Nb2O5, exists in many polymorphs with diverse properties and morphologies that are dependent on the synthesis route. In this work, we design a new approach to fabricate and stabilize the metastable polymorph hexagonal nano-niobium pentoxide using soft chemistry and in particular the polyol synthesis. The electrochromic properties of homogeneous niobium pentoxide thin films deposited by dip coating, from as-synthesized hexagonal powder, are studied in lithium trifluoromethanesulfonimide (LiTFSI) in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (EMITFSI) ionic liquid electrolyte versus Pt as counter electrode. The structure and morphology of the Nb2O5 thin films before and after cycling are characterized by ex-situ XRD and SEM while their optical and electrochemical properties are investigated by in-situ transmittance and cyclic voltammetry (CV), respectively. Thin films made from hexagonal Nb2O5 with a sphere architecture exhibit good cycling stability, high transmittance modulations (ΔT ≈ 33% at 550 nm), fast switching speeds (2–3 s for coloration and bleaching at 550 nm), and high coloration efficiency (CE ≈ 26 cm2 C–1) with a good quality factor G(λ) = 10.4 cm2 C–1 s–1. Finally, novel electrochromic devices based on hybrid thin films combining poly(ethylene-3,4-dioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonicacid) (PEDOT:PSS) and oxides are assembled showing enhanced coloration and simultaneous color change due to their double-sided configuration.

Growth of monolayer 2D organic crystal has been an interesting topic in recent years owing to their promising properties. However, it is still a tough challenge to obtain the 2D organic crystal with precise thickness control and uniform morphology. Herein, we reported the fabrication of 2D crystals of alkane molecules C44H90 with only monolayer thickness and tunable size through the simple dip-coating process. Benefitted from the low solubility of the C44H90 and the isotropic Van der Waals interaction, quadrilateral-shape monolayer 2D crystals with size from several micrometers to nearly hundreds of micrometers can be achieved in the dip-coating process. Utilized the X-ray diffraction and high resolution atomic force microscopy, we obtained the clear packing mode of these monolayer crystals. In addition, these smooth 2D crystals show promising application in the thin film transistors by acting as a molecular template layer. It leads to an increment of about one magnitude on the charge mobility owing to the decreasing of both morphology defects and interface traps.

Al-Zn doped SnO2 (Sn1-2xAlxZnxO2) film has been growth using the sol-gel dip coating technique. The basic materials used in this study were water, C2H5OH, SnCl2.2H2O, AlCl3 and ZnCl2 with 99% purity (merck) with doping concentration variation x = 0.000, 0.005, 0.025, and 0.050. Glass substrate with size 2.54 mm x 76.2 mm x 1 mm cleaned with detergent, soaked in 30% HCl solution For 1 day and dried at 100°C. The process of making a SnO2 sol is done by mixing the precursor with various concentrations with water and stirring using a magnetic stirrer for 30 minutes at a temperature of 80 ° C. The next step by adding ethanol, stirring at 80 ° C. for 2 hours to obtain 0.4 M sol solution The deposition of SnO2 film was carried out using a dip coater with a whitdrawl speed 12 cm/min and then heated for nucleation and grown using an electric furnace at 600 ° C for 30 minutes. This step is repeated as much as 5 repetitions to get the SnO2 film by doing Al-Zn.

CuAlS 2 thin films were deposited by a dip coating technique at room temperature. The X-ray energy dispersive (EDAX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the deposited CuAlS 2 thin film is nearly stoichiometric and possesses a tetragonal unit cell structure. The crystallite sizes determined from the XRD data employing Scherrer's formula and modified forms of Hall–Williamson relation like the uniform deformation model (UDM), uniform stress deformation model (USDM), uniform deformation energy density model (UDEDM), and the size–strain plot method (SSP) were in good agreement with each other. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies of the thin film revealed that the deposited film is uniform without any cracks and the film covers the whole of the substrates. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) of the as-synthesized thin film surfaces showed spherical grains having coalescences between them. The optical absorbance spectrum analysis showed that the thin films possess both direct and indirect band gaps. The semiconducting and p -type nature of the thin films was confirmed from dc – electrical resistivity versus temperature, room temperature Hall effect, and Seebeck coefficient versus temperature measurements. The effect of the different illuminations on the CuAlS 2 thin film showed that it can be used as a material for absorption of ultra-violet radiation. All the obtained characterization results are deliberated in detail.

Uniform and pinhole-free electron-selective TiO2 layers are of utmost importance for efficient perovskite solar cells. Here we used a scalable and low-cost dip-coating method to prepare uniform and ultrathin (5–50 nm) compact TiO2 films on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrates. The thickness of the film was tuned by changing the TiCl4 precursor concentration. The formed TiO2 follows the texture of the underlying FTO substrates, but at higher TiCl4 concentrations, the surface roughness is substantially decreased. This change occurs at a film thickness close to 20–30 nm. A similar TiCl4 concentration is needed to produce crystalline TiO2 films. Furthermore, below this film thickness, the underlying FTO might be exposed resulting in pinholes in the compact TiO2 layer. When integrated into mesoscopic perovskite solar cells there appears to be a similar critical compact TiO2 layer thickness above which the devices perform more optimally. The power conversion efficiency was improved by more than 50% (...

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), synthetic polymeric receptors, have been combined successfully with thermal transducers for the detection of small molecules in recent years. However, up until now they have been combined with planar electrodes which limits their use for in vivo applications. In this work, a new biosensor platform is developed by roll-coating MIP particles onto thermocouples, functionalized with polylactic acid (PLLA). As a first proof-of-principle, MIPs for the neurotransmitter dopamine were incorporated into PLLA-coated thermocouples. The response of the synthetic receptor layer to an increasing concentration of dopamine in buffer was analyzed using a homemade heat-transfer setup. Binding of the template to the MIP layer blocks the heat transport through the thermocouple, leading to less heat loss to the environment and an overall higher temperature in the measuring chamber. The measured temperature increase is correlated to the neurotransmitter concentration, which enables measurement of dopamine levels in the micromolar regime. To demonstrate the general applicability of the proposed biosensor platform, thermocouples were functionalized with similar MIPs for cortisol and serotonin, indicating a similar response and limit-of-detection. As the platform does not require planar electrodes, it can easily be integrated in, e.g., a catheter. In this way, it is an excellent fit for the current niche in the market of therapeutics and diagnostics. Moreover, the use of a biocompatible and disposable PLLA-layer further illustrates its potential for in vivo diagnostics. ispartof: ACS Sensors vol:2 issue:4 pages:583-589 ispartof: location:United States status: published

For the preparation of electrically conductive composites, various combinations of cellulose and conducting materials such as polymers, metals, metal oxides and carbon have been reported. The conductivity of these cellulose composites reported to date ranges from 10−6 to 103 S cm−1. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are excellent building blocks for the production of high added value coatings. The essential process steps for preparing such coatings, i.e. surface modification of CNCs dispersed in water and/or alcohol followed by application of the dispersion to substrate samples using dip coating, are low cost and easily scalable. Here, we present coatings consisting of Ag modified CNCs that form a percolated network upon solvent evaporation. After photonic sintering, the resulting coatings are electrically conductive with an unprecedented high conductivity of 2.9 × 104 S cm−1. Furthermore, we report the first colloidal synthesis that yields CNCs with a high degree of Ag coverage on the surface, which is a prerequisite for obtaining coatings with high electrical conductivity.

International audience; Dielectric Mie resonators are taking momentum in the last years thanks to their peculiar properties in light management at visible and near-infrared frequencies. However, their full exploitation demands for cheap materials and versatile fabrication methods, extendible over large surfaces and potentially C-MOS compatible. Here, a sol-gel deposition and nano-imprint lithography method is used to obtain Titania-based Mie resonators over large areas (several mm 2), showing that this platform can potentially be exploited for light management with different devices. First, it is demonstrated their use for structural colours and efficient band pass filters covering the visible spectrum. Then, exploiting sharp Fano resonances in reflection, their potential for refractive index sensing is addressed obtaining a figure of merit of ~20. Finally, when placing the resonators on porous silica, a large and reversible colour tuning can be produced as a result of water adsorption within the substrate porosity. These results open the path to Titania sub-micrometric structures for applications as a multi-functional metamaterial for smart windows, displays and all-optical sensing.

Resorbable (Vicryl&reg, Plus) sutures were coated with zinc-doped glass (Zn-BG) and silver-doped ordered mesoporous bioactive glass (Ag-MBG) particles by a dip coating technique. A multilayer approach was used to achieve robust coatings. The first coating was a polymeric layer (e.g., PCL or chitosan) and the second one was a composite made of BG particles in a polymer matrix. The coatings were characterized in terms of morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), in vitro bioactivity, and antibacterial properties. Chitosan/Ag-MBG coatings showed the ability to form hydroxyl-carbonate-apatite on their surfaces after immersion in SBF. An antibacterial effect against Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria was confirmed, highlighting the potential application of the coated sutures for antibiotic-free approaches.

The frictional behaviour of elastomers has attracted a lot of attention and interest in order to better comprehend its effect on the skidding features of tires and the performance of different rubber components, such as gloves, contact rubber seals and diaphragms, and elements of weapons. In the present work, for the first time, silica coatings were deposited on the surface of different elastomeric compounds (i.e. butadiene rubber (BR), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and silica loaded butadiene rubber (BRs)) by dip-coating technique, with the aim to modify their surface properties, leading to a decrement of the friction coefficient. A green sol-gel methodology was exploited, avoiding the use of toxic chemical substances. The influence of the silica coating on the surface properties of the elastomeric compounds was deeply investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), static contact angle measurements and tribological tests. The obtained coatings were characterised by an average thickness of around 1–2 μm, flexibility, due to the presence of cracks, developed during the drying process, a very good adhesion to the elastomeric substrates in the case of thinner coatings (1dip-samples). Moreover, they provided an enhanced hydrophobic behaviour, lower surface free energies and lower friction coefficient values (friction coefficient decrease up to 30%).

The sensitivity of Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) to the variation of a specific parameter can be improved by choosing a suitable coating material. This paper explores the possibility of measuring the concentration of Ethanol in aqueous solutions by using poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as coating material of a single-mode FBG. The basic measurement principle relies in the absorption of liquid Ethanol which produces controlled swallowing of the coating, straining the underneath Bragg grating. The PMMA coating was deposited on the FBG by means of a specifically designed dip coating test bench, able to accurately control the thickness of the applied layer. Metrological performances of the developed PMMA-coated FBG Ethanol sensor have been assessed for Ethanol concentrations in the range of 0-38 % in distilled water at 25 °C constant temperature. The prototype shows good repeatability and better sensitivity when compared to an uncoated FBG, especially at low Ethanol concentrations. The dynamic behavior of the sensor (which depends on the kinetics of the absorption mechanism) has been assessed as well, showing a response time of about 290 s, while the recovery time (660 s) was almost twice.

A series of SnO2–ZnO composite nanostructured (thin) films with different amounts of SnO2 (from 0 to 50 wt %) was prepared and deposited on a miniaturized porous alumina transducer using the sol–gel and dip coating method. The transducer, developed by our research group, contains Au interdigital electrodes on one side and a Pt heater on the other side. The sensing films were characterized using SEM and AFM techniques. Highly toxic and flammable gases (CO, CO2, CH4, and C3H8) were tested under lab conditions (carrier gas was dry air) using a special gas sensing cell developed by our research group. The gas concentrations varied between 5 and 2000 ppm and the optimum working temperatures were in the range of 210–300 °C. It was found that the sensing performance was influenced by the amount of oxide components present in the composite material. Improved sensing performance was achieved for the ZnO (98 wt %)–SnO2 (2 wt %) composite as compared to the sensors containing only the pristine oxides. The sensor response, cross-response and recovery characteristics of the analyzed materials are reported. The high sensitivity (RS = 1.21) to low amounts of CO (5 ppm) was reported for the sensor containing a composite sensitive film with ZnO (98 wt %)–SnO2 (2 wt %). This sensor response to CO was five times higher as compared to its response to CO2, CH4, and C3H8, thus the sensor is considered to be selective for CO under these test conditions.

Industrial dip coating is a simple and easy to access technique that can be considered as a self-metered coating process. Practical applications of films obtained by this method include decorative, protective, and functional purposes. The objective of this work was to develop a 2D mathematical model of the fluid-dynamic variables of the dip-coating draining stage of a finite vertical plate, considering nonevaporative and isothermal conditions. Concentrated dispersions were considered, such as those whose rheological behavior was described by an extension of a theoretical rheological model proposed by Quemada. As a result, an analytical and simple mathematical model that relates the main fluid parameters could be obtained. The model was achieved based upon rigorous mass and momentum balances applied to the draining stage of a monophasic, isothermal, and nonevaporative system, where the highest forces are viscous and gravitational. Parameters that were estimated are the velocity profile, average velocity, flow rate, local thickness, and average thickness of the film. Finally, experimental validation was performed by using experimental data (rheological properties, densities, and average film thickness values) of several representative concentrated dispersions (emulsions and suspensions) obtained in this work and from the literature. All the information achieved in this study can be useful to control and predict the thickness and homogeneity of the film during an industrial coating process, in order to satisfy the quality requirements of the final product. Fil: Peralta, Juan Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; Argentina Fil: Meza, Barbara Erica del Valle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; Argentina

Surface modification is one of the methods for improving the performance of medical implants in biological environment. In this study, cerium, gallium and zinc substituted 80%SiO 2 -15%CaO-5%P 2 O 5 mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) in combination with polycaprolactone (PCL) were coated over Ti6Al4 V substrates by dip-coating method in order to obtain an inorganic—organic hybrid coating (MBG-PCL). Structural characterization was performed using XRD, nitrogen adsorption, SEM-EDXS, FTIR. The MBG-PCL coating uniformly covered the substrate with the thickness found to be more than 1 μm. Glass and polymer phases were detected in the coating along with the presence of biologically potent elements cerium, gallium and zinc. In addition, in vitro bioactivity was investigated by soaking the coated samples in simulated body fluid (SBF) for up to 30 days at 37 °C. The apatite-like layer was monitored by FTIR, SEM-EDXS and ICP measurements and it formed in all the samples within 15 days except zinc samples. In this way, an attempt was made to develop a new biomaterial with improved in vitro bioactive response due to bioactive glass coating and good mechanical strength of Ti6Al4 V alloy along with inherent biological properties of cerium, gallium and zinc.

We numerically analyze the process of dip coating on fibers when the liquid to be deposited contains soluble surfactants. The predictions obtained are in excellent agreement with experimental results reported by different authors. Our results show that the thickness of the film deposited, and particularly the so-called surfactant thickening effect, changes its behavior when the coating speed exceeds certain limits; therefore, the effects produced by inertia forces are scrutinized to uncover, for the first time, the mechanisms inducing those changes. Fil: Campana, Diego Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; Argentina Fil: Ubal, Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; Argentina Fil: Giavedoni, Maria Delia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; Argentina Fil: Saita, Fernando Adolfo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; Argentina

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T16:41:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2016-04-06 A reliable and cheap equipment is hereby proposed for the deposition of thin films on several substrates. This system is capable of deposition using three different techniques sequentially on the same substrate. The techniques available are ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR), electrodeposition, and dip coating on both rigid and flexible conductive substrates (FTO, ITO-PEN). Using low-cost electronic components, we built a working prototype, driven by a simple software that is open source and user-friendly. In order to test our system, we used it to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and counter electrodes of platinum and cobalt sulfide using both rigid glass-FTO and flexible ITO-PEN substrates. The electrodes as well as the complete devices have been characterized through cyclic voltammetry (CV). The solar cell devices have been characterized through current versus voltage curves (I-V) under simulated solar illumination. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia de Materiais (POSMAT) Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube14-01 Department of Chemistry University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5 Universidade Estadual Paulista UNESP, Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube14-01 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia de Materiais (POSMAT) Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube14-01 Universidade Estadual Paulista UNESP, Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube14-01

TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared via sol-gel technique and then doped with cobalt ions to form TiO2 doped cobalt sol. Thin films were prepared from this sol using dip coating method and underwent calcination at a temperature of 550 C.The films were characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The UV–Vis. Absorption spectra show a redshift, which indicates that TiO2 doped cobalt will respond to the visible region of the spectrum rather than UV- region for pure TiO2.

A microwave deposition technique for silanes, previously described for production of oleophobic fabrics, is adapted to provide a fabric support material that can be subsequently treated by dip coating. Dip coating with a sol preparation provides a supported porous layer on the fabric. In this case, the porous layer is a porphyrin functionalized sorbent system based on a powdered material that has been demonstrated previously for the capture and conversion of phosgene. A representative coating is applied to cotton fabric at a loading level of 10 mg/g. This coating has minimal impact on water vapor transport through the fabric (93% of the support fabric rate) while significantly reducing transport of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES) through the material (7% of support fabric rate). The described approaches are suitable for use with other fabrics providing amine and hydroxyl groups for modification and can be used in combination with other sol preparations to produce varying functionality.

The symposium ISPDS2 has taken place in Meknes (Morocco) in October, 2017. It has gathered specialists of various fields who presented their work in connection with the problematics of data storage. This conference volume contains 75 abstracts of communications presented at the meeting as invited conferences, talks, or posters. Various topics are covered, as carbon nanotubes, SWCN, Domain walls, piezoelectrics, anomalous diffusion, electron microscopy, spectral moments, SiGe, nanocrystals, magneto-caloric, electro-caloric, ferrite, spinels, perovskites, graphene, solar cells, colossal magnetoresistance (CMR)

Both polypyrrole (PPy) and polypyrrole coated copper thin films were synthesized successfully via two-step methods. PPy nanorods films were first grown chemically, and then PPy thin films were fabricated on glass substrates using dip-coating technique. The resulting films were examined via various characterization methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). Gas sensor devices were fabricated and the gas sensitivity for (PPy) coated copper was measured as a function of temperature for both O2 and CO2 gases. The maximum sensitivity for O2 gas was around 160% and the maximum sensitivity for CO2 was 300%. Keywords: Polypyrrole coated copper, Gas sensor, Nanowires, Thin film, Dip coating

A dip coating system was projected and constructed to deposit a large range of thin films onto solid substrates. A microcontroller was used to control the deposition system. As an example of application multilayer graphene (MLG) films were deposited onto glass slices in order to obtain conductive films with relatively good light transmittance. The MLG flakes were obtained using natural graphite and isopropyl alcohol resulting in three dispersions treated in ultrasound for 30, 60 and 90 minutes, respectively. Using atomic force microscopy, UV-Vis spectrometry and an electrometer the film characterizations were performed. MLG flakes about 13 nm thick, 10 mµ2 of area were observed using AFM. In films obtained with 35 immersions the electrical resistance and the resistance sheet reached 1.8 kΩ and 1.9kΩ/square respectively. The light transmittance reached 10-20% while films obtained with dispersions treated for 60 and 90 minutes were electrically continuous. Thus, conductive films can be used in chemiresistor sensors, electrochemical and supercapacitors electrodes.

A method to enhance the adherence of Al 2 O 3 coating with AISI 316L metallic substrate was proposed in this study. The substrate was aluminized by pack cementation at 850°C for 10 h, and then oxidized at 900°C for 10 h, subsequently, the Al 2 O 3 whiskers formed uniformly. The suspension mixing 3 μm γ-Al 2 O 3 powder, alumina sol, PVA and water was directly applied to the microchannels pretreated by above mentioned aluminizing and oxidation method by dip coating. And then the sample was dried and calcined at 600°C for 2 h to form γ-Al 2 O 3 coating in the micochannel. The morphology and phase composition of the coating were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), scanning electron microscope (SEM). The adhesion between the substrate and coating was tested by ultrasonic vibration. The results showed that aluminized treatment could effectively improve the adhesion, and the mass-loss rate of the coating was only 1.24%. The main pore size of the coating was between 30 A and 100 A. The coating has no cracks, and possessed with high specific surface area, 234 m 2 /g.

This paper reports the influence of annealing temperature on crystalline size, film roughness, surface morphology and photoluminescence properties of ZnO thin films prepared by dip and spin coating techniques. Thin films were annealed at 400 °C and 500 °C for one hour each and their structural properties were studied using XRD, AFM and SEM. The coatings were characterized for photoluminescence using UV-visible Spectrometer. The films produced by both the methods conformed to hexagonal wurtzite structure. The grain size of dip coated films annealed at 400 °C and 500 °C were 291 and 312 nm and for spin coated films were 140 nm and 172 nm respectively. The surface roughness values of the dip coated films corresponding to the two temperatures were 17.31 nm and 23.52 nm and those for spin coated films were 16.74 and 21.43 nm respectively. Annealing temperature significantly influenced crystallinity and surface roughness of the thin films in both methods of coating.

A polymeric Al-modified bentonite (B-OHAl) obtained by intercalation of OH-Al species was used as precursor for mullite-containing coatings. Raw clay and B-OHAl were characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA). Rheological and electrokinetic behavior of B-OHAl dispersions were optimized by the addition of sodium polyacrylate (NaPA) for its use in dip coating on ceramic substrates. Moderate densification and mullite development of B-OHAl by thermal treatment up to 1200 °C was observed by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), XRD and scanning electron microscopy SEM. NaPA addition on dispersions and an increase in porosity values in substrate led to higher amounts of coating retained in dip coated composites sintered at 1200 °C. Fil: Martinez, Juan Manuel. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Tecnología de Recursos Minerales y Cerámica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Tecnología de Recursos Minerales y Cerámica; Argentina Fil: Volzone, Cristina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Tecnología de Recursos Minerales y Cerámica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Tecnología de Recursos Minerales y Cerámica; Argentina Fil: Garrido, Liliana Beatriz. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Tecnología de Recursos Minerales y Cerámica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Tecnología de Recursos Minerales y Cerámica; Argentina

Many studies of anisotropic wetting surfaces with directional structures inspired from rice leaves, bamboo leaves, and butterfly wings have been carried out because of their unique liquid shape control and transportation. In this study, a precision mechanical cutting process, ultra-precision machining using a single crystal diamond tool, was used to fabricate a mold with microscale directional patterns of triangular cross-sectional shape for good moldability, and the patterns were duplicated on a flat thermoplastic polymer plate by compression molding for the mass production of an anisotropic wetting polymer surface. Anisotropic wetting was observed only with microscale patterns, but the sliding of water could not be achieved because of the pinning effect of the micro-structure. Therefore, an additional dip coating process with 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecythricholosilanes, and TiO2 nanoparticles was applied for a small sliding angle with nanoscale patterns and a low surface energy. The anisotropic superhydrophobic surface was fabricated and the surface morphology and anisotropic wetting behaviors were investigated. The suggested fabrication method can be used to mass produce an anisotropic superhydrophobic polymer surface, demonstrating the feasibility of liquid shape control and transportation.

In this work, we analyze the efficiency of the modification of the implant surface. This modification was reached by the formation of a two-level relief hierarchy by means of a sol-gel approach that included dip coating with subsequent shock drying. Using this method, we fabricated a nanoporous layer with micron-sized defects on the nanotitanium surface. The present work continues an earlier study by our group, wherein the effect of osteoblast-like cell adhesion acceleration was found. In the present paper, we give the results of more detailed evaluation of coating efficiency. Specifically, cytological analysis was performed that included the study of the marker levels of osteoblast-like cell differentiation. We found a significant increase in the activity of alkaline phosphatase at the initial incubation stage. This is very important for implantation, since such an effect assists the decrease in the induction time of implant engraftment. Moreover, osteopontin expression remains high for long expositions. This indicates a prolonged osteogenic effect in the coating. The results suggest the acceleration of the pre-implant area mineralization and, correspondingly, the potential use of the developed coatings for bone implantation.

[EN] In this research, Cu-doped TiO2 thin films have been successfully deposited onto a glass substrate by Sol¿gel technique using dip coating method. The films were annealed at different annealing temperatures (400¿500 "C) for 1 h. The structural, optical and electrical properties of the films were investigated and compared using X-ray Diffraction,UV¿visible spectrophotometer and 4-point probe method. Optical analysis by mean transmittance T(k) and absorption A(k) measurements in the wavelength range between 300 to 800 nm allow us to determine the indirect band gap energy. DRX analysis of our thin films of TiO2:Cu shows that the intensities of the line characteristic of anatase phase increasing in function of the temperature., This work has been partially supported by LGOPS Laboratory University Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain and LMOPS Laboratory University of Lorraine France. Technical support from LMOPS and LGOPS labs is gratefully acknowledged.

Graphical abstract, Recent advances in the use of plasmonic metamaterials to improve absorption of light in thin-film solar photovoltaic devices has created a demand for a scalable method of patterning large areas with metal nanostructures deposited in an ordered array. This article describes two methods of fabricating ordered 2D nanosphere colloidal films: spin coating and interface coating. The two methods are compared and parameter optimization discussed. The study reveals that: • For smaller nanosphere sizes, spin coating is more favorable, while for larger nanospheres, the angled interface coating provides more coverage and uniformity. • A surfactant-free approach for interface coating is developed to fabricate zero-contamination colloidal films. • Each of the methods reaches an overall coverage of more than 90% and can be used for nanosphere lithography to form plasmonic metamaterials.

Direct solution coating technique has emerged as a promising economically viable process for earth abundant chalcogenide absorber materials for photovoltaic applications. Here, direct ethanol based dip coating of earth abundant Cu2NiSnS4 (CNTS) films on soda lime glass (SLG), molybdenum coated glass (Mo), and fluorine doped tin oxide coated glass (FTO) substrates is investigated. The structural and morphological properties of pre-annealed and sulfurized CNTS films coated on SLG, FTO, and Mo substrates are reported. The influence of dipping cycles on composition and optoelectronic properties of preannealed and sulfurized CNTS films deposited on SLG substrate is presented. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis reveal how changes in thickness and elemental composition affect morphology and optoelectronic properties. The obtained absorption coefficient, optical bandgap, resistivity and mobility of pre -annealed and sulfurized films are found to be 104 cm(-1), 1.5 eV, 0.48 cm, 3.4 cm(2)/Vs and 104 cm(-1), 1.29 eV, 0.14 Omega cm, 11.0 cm(2)/Vs, respectively. These properties are well suited for photovoltaic applications and lead to the conclusion that the direct ethanol based dip coating can be an alternative economically viable process for the fabrication of earth abundant CNTS absorber layers for thin film solar cells. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fluorapatite (FA) layers with different thickness and microstructures on porous 3 mol% yttria-partially stabilized zirconia (Y-PSZ) substrates have been fabricated by dipping porous zirconia tapes into aqueous fluorapatite slurries. Porous ZrO2 tapes were developed using starch and an acrylic latex as fugitive additive and binder, respectively. Two different binders, poly(vinyl)alcohol (PVA) and latex were used to prepare the fluorapatite dip coating slips. The influence of the suspension properties and the porous structure of the tape surfaces (top and bottom) on the formation rate and consequently on the layer thickness formed on each surface were studied. In addition, the microstructure of the layers produced by using the different dip-coating slips were compared and the osteoblastic cellular response to the different FA coating layers was examined. A greater initial thickness of the layer adhered was found for the tapes dip coated in the FA slip with latex; for immersion times>0, the casting rate was observed to be strongly influenced by both the structure of the tape surfaces and the suspension properties. For both FA slurries, the casting rate at the top surface of the tapes was greater than that at the bottom surface. Sintered layers with thickness 8–9 times greater on both tape surfaces were found using the dip coating slip with latex. For each tape surface, the casting rate was accelerated and the layer shrink during sintering was reduced by using the dip coating slip with latex. The coating layer produced with latex enhanced the osteogenic potential of osteoblastic cells in vitro, which is ultimately an indication of the material׳s capacity to promote bone repair in vivo. Fil: Albano, Maria Patricia. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Invest.científicas. Centro de Tecnología de Recursos Minerales y Ceramica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - la Plata. Centro de Tecnología de Recursos Minerales y Ceramica; Argentina Fil: Garrido, Liliana Beatriz. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Invest.científicas. Centro de Tecnología de Recursos Minerales y Ceramica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - la Plata. Centro de Tecnología de Recursos Minerales y Ceramica; Argentina Fil: Teixeira, Lucas Novaes. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasil Fil: Rosa, Adalberto Luiz. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasil Fil: Tambasco de Oliveira, Paulo. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasil