Sol-gel spin coating of ZnO thin films for hydrophobic and radiation resistant applications

IF 2.3 4区材料科学 Q2 MATERIALS SCIENCE, CERAMICS

Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology Pub Date : 2024-12-23 DOI:10.1007/s10971-024-06652-x

Venkatesh Yepuri, Saravanan Sigamani, Veluri Swaminadham

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

There is a significant demand for coatings that can withstand radiation in nearly every region globally, particularly where glass furnishings are utilized. These coatings are capable of reflecting radiation from the solar spectrum while also functioning as self-cleaning surfaces that eliminate pollutants from the glass. Nonetheless, scientists are persistently investigating methods to cost-effectively manufacture these coatings for application across diverse industries. This study focuses on the effective production of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) thin films through sol-gel spin coating techniques, intended for application on glass surfaces. The goal is to enhance these surfaces with UV and IR reflection capabilities, alongside hydrophobic characteristics that repel water and promote a self-cleaning effect. The analysis via X-ray Diffractogram (XRD) demonstrated that the coating exhibited a hexagonal Wurtzite crystal structure of ZnO. The study conducted using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) provided additional confirmation of the presence of Zn and O functional linkages at distinct wavenumbers, specifically 733 cm⁻¹ and 2896 cm⁻¹, respectively. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was employed to analyze the thickness of the ZnO layer. The findings indicated the development of a slender layer measuring around 46 nm in thickness. Elemental analysis utilizing EDAX validated the detection of Zinc and Oxygen, with Zinc representing 32% of the atomic weight percentage and Oxygen comprising 68%. Furthermore, the coatings’ resistance to radiation was evaluated through ultraviolet visible and near-infrared spectroscopy (UV-VIS-NIR). The findings indicated that a mere single layer of Zinc Oxide was capable of reflecting 50% of ultraviolet light and 45% of infrared light. After conducting experiments with a goniometer, it was observed that the ZnO coating (500 °C) demonstrated hydrophobic property when in contact with a water droplet, showing a contact angle of ~120°.

Graphical Abstract

Graphical abstract depicting the fabrication of ZnO thin films and the subsequent analysis of their properties.

Abstract Image

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溶胶-凝胶自旋涂覆ZnO薄膜的疏水和耐辐射应用

全球几乎每个地区都对能够承受辐射的涂料有很大的需求，特别是在使用玻璃家具的地方。这些涂层能够反射来自太阳光谱的辐射，同时也具有自清洁表面的功能，可以消除玻璃中的污染物。尽管如此，科学家们仍在坚持不懈地研究如何经济有效地制造这些涂料，以应用于不同的行业。本研究的重点是通过溶胶-凝胶自旋镀膜技术有效地生产氧化锌（ZnO）薄膜，用于玻璃表面。目标是增强这些表面的紫外线和红外反射能力，以及疏水特性，排斥水，促进自清洁效果。x射线衍射（XRD）分析表明，该涂层具有ZnO的六方纤锌矿晶体结构。利用傅里叶变换红外（FTIR）进行的研究进一步证实了不同波数（分别为733 cm−1和2896 cm−1）上Zn和O功能键的存在。采用场发射扫描电镜（FESEM）对ZnO层的厚度进行了分析。研究结果表明，形成了厚度约46纳米的细长层。元素分析利用EDAX验证了锌和氧的检测，锌占32%的原子量百分比，氧占68%。此外，通过紫外可见和近红外光谱（UV-VIS-NIR）对涂层的抗辐射性能进行了评价。研究结果表明，仅仅一层氧化锌就能反射50%的紫外线和45%的红外光。用测角仪进行实验，观察到ZnO涂层（500℃）与水滴接触时表现出疏水性，接触角为~120°。图解摘要描述了ZnO薄膜的制作过程以及随后对其性能的分析。

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来源期刊

Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology 工程技术-材料科学：硅酸盐

CiteScore

4.70

自引率

4.00%

发文量

280

审稿时长

2.1 months

期刊介绍： The primary objective of the Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology (JSST), the official journal of the International Sol-Gel Society, is to provide an international forum for the dissemination of scientific, technological, and general knowledge about materials processed by chemical nanotechnologies known as the "sol-gel" process. The materials of interest include gels, gel-derived glasses, ceramics in form of nano- and micro-powders, bulk, fibres, thin films and coatings as well as more recent materials such as hybrid organic-inorganic materials and composites. Such materials exhibit a wide range of optical, electronic, magnetic, chemical, environmental, and biomedical properties and functionalities. Methods for producing sol-gel-derived materials and the industrial uses of these materials are also of great interest.