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Mn+1AXn (MAX) phases are novel structural and functional materials with a layered crystal structure. Their unique properties such as good machinability, high electrical conductivity, low friction, and corrosion resistance are appealing for many engineering applications. Herein, Ti2AlC and Ti3AlC2 MAX thin films are synthesized by magnetron sputtering and subsequent thermal annealing. A multilayer approach is used to deposit single‐element nanolayers of titanium, aluminum, and carbon onto silicon substrates with a double‐layer‐diffusion barrier of SiO2 and SixNy. Ti2AlC and Ti3AlC2 thin films (thickness ≈500 nm) are formed via rapid thermal annealing and verified by X‐Ray diffraction. Nanoindentation tests show hardness values of about 11.6 and 5.3 GPa for Ti2AlC and Ti3AlC2, respectively. The tribological behavior of the Ti2AlC and Ti3AlC2 thin films against AISI 52100 steel balls under dry sliding conditions is studied using ball‐on‐flat tribometry. The resulting coefficient of friction (CoF) for Ti2AlC and Ti3AlC2 ranges between 0.21–0.42 and 0.64–0.91, respectively. The better tribological behavior observed for Ti2AlC thin films is ascribed to its smaller grain size, reduced surface roughness, and higher hardness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selective metallization of nonconductive polymer materials has broad applications in the fields of integrated circuit technology and metallized patterns. This work discusses a methodology to pattern metal tracks on polybutylene terephthalate substrates. The process consists of three steps: 1) surface patterning with picosecond laser pulses (1030 nm) in air, 2) Pd seeding via treatment in PdCl2 solution, and 3) selective metallization via electroless copper deposition. Picosecond laser irradiation promotes not only surface roughening but also chemical modification to enable Pd seeding as the polymer surface acquires the ability to reduce Pd(II)‐chloride species to metallic Pd. The laser parameters, as well as the PdCl2 concentration and seeding temperature, have an influence on the polymer surface morphology, the concentration and distribution of metallic Pd, and the copper layer properties. Homogeneous copper layers with well‐defined geometries, good coating‐substrate adhesion, and high electrical conductivity can be obtained. This is ascribed to the synergistic effect of the chemical surface activation and roughness development (from 0.13 to ≈1.6 μm). As the patterning and surface activation are performed in air, directly on the as‐received polymer substrate, this methodology shows great potential for metallization of electronic devices with 3D complex geometries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of sputtered aluminum doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide thin films grown on p-type crystalline silicon substrates were investigated in 1 M solution under chopped light illumination. Optical and structural properties of the top absorber layer were systematically assessed after post-deposition isochronical annealing treatments. Samples exhibited a noticeable improvement of the opto-electronic properties after thermal treatments. In addition, an abrupt enhancement of the photocurrent was observed reaching a saturation value of 17 mA cm−2 at −1.75 V vs. Ag/AgCl (3.5 M KCl). In this research we propose that this enhancement effect is associated to a charge transfer kinetic mechanism influenced by surface states and the p-type substrate. The latter most likely due to the space charge region extending beyond the absorber layer reaching the substrate. Current density-potential and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements in dark revealed a reduction of the native layer at cathodic potentials higher than −1 V vs. Ag/AgCl (3.5 M KCl), which contributes to the high charge transfer kinetic of the system. We believe that these results will contribute to understand the substrate influence in the PEC performance of top absorber layers in multilayer structures for solar water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ph y s. 54 (2021) 26960 1 (3pp) ht tps://doi.or g/1 0.1 088/1 361-6463/abef ee Er r at um: Anal y sis of the ph y sical and phot oelectr oc hemical pr oper ties of c-Si(p)/a-SiC:H(p) phot ocathodes f or solar w at er split ting (2021 J. Ph y s. D: Appl. J our nal of Ph y sics D: Applied Ph y sics J. Ph y s. D: Appl. Erratum: Analysis of the physical and photoelectrochemical properties of c-Si(p)/a-SiC:H(p) photocathodes for solar water splitting (2021 J. Phys. [Extracted from the article]