Applied Surface Science Advances最新文献

{"title":"Ni-based alloy catalysts for cost-effective hydrogen production from ammonia decomposition","authors":"Yeongjun Yoon ,&nbsp;Yunseo Choi ,&nbsp;Yonggyun Bae ,&nbsp;Jongsup Hong ,&nbsp;Kyeounghak Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100759","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100759","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to its high hydrogen storage capacity and established infrastructure, ammonia (NH₃) decomposition has been extensively investigated as a clean hydrogen production process. However, hydrogen production via ammonia decomposition faces various challenges. Although ruthenium (Ru) catalysts exhibit the highest activity for ammonia decomposition, their scarcity and high cost hinder commercial application. Consequently, nickel (Ni) catalysts have emerged as a potential alternative, owing to their cost-effectiveness and high activity. To further optimize Ni catalysts, developing Ni-based alloy catalysts with other metals is a promising solution. Herein, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are performed to elucidate the catalytic activity of 3d transition metals (Ni, Co, Cu, and Fe) and their promising alloys. The key reaction steps of overall ammonia decomposition are NH_x‒H bond scission (NH_x*→NH_x-1*+H*) and N + N recombination (N*+N*→N₂*). In particular, nitrogen adsorption energy (E_ad(N)) serves as a descriptor for predicting the activation energies of key elementary steps, revealing a volcano-like relationship between experimental catalytic activity and DFT-calculated E_ad(N). Additionally, we discover a strong correlation between d-band filling (f_d) and E_ad(N), establishing f_d as an effective descriptor that not only predicts E_ad(N) but also the catalytic activity of NH₃ decomposition. Our descriptor-based design principle identifies Ni_0.64Fe_0.36 as a potentially effective and cost-efficient candidate for hydrogen production from ammonia, with experimental data demonstrating its superior performance compared to pure Ni. These findings offer valuable insights into the development of efficient, economically viable transition metal-based catalysts for hydrogen production through ammonia decomposition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article 100759"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143921815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temperature-induced evolutions in critical point optical transitions in HfS2 investigated by spectroscopic ellipsometry","authors":"Qihang Zhang ,&nbsp;Honggang Gu ,&nbsp;Zhengfeng Guo ,&nbsp;Shiyuan Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100763","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100763","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A thorough understanding of the temperature-dependent optical properties and underlying physical mechanisms of a novel material is critical for the optimization of related optoelectronic devices. In this study, we comprehensively investigate the optical properties of the transition metal dichalcogenide HfS₂ over a broadband energy range of 0.75–5.91 eV with the temperatures changing from 100 K to 600 K by using the spectroscopic ellipsometry, critical point analysis, and first-principles calculations. The temperature-dependent dielectric functions are determined, and seven critical points (A–G) and their associated optical transitions are quantitatively revealed. We found that the central energies of these critical points exhibit temperature-induced blueshifts, consistent with the Varshni equation and Bose-Einstein model. The behavior of the critical points is significantly different as affected by thermal expansion and electron-phonon interactions of varying degrees. Due to the temperature-induced reversible phase transition of HfS₂, critical points C and E exhibit dramatically increasing broadening and ultimately disappear. The locations of these optical transitions in the Brillouin zone and the involved carriers are further identified through energy band structure and projected density of states by combining the critical points analysis and first-principles calculations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article 100763"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143922089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of nickel concentration on multi-scale mechanical properties and wear behavior of NiTi alloys processed via laser powder bed fusion","authors":"Rakesh Bhaskaran Nair ,&nbsp;Medad C.C. Monu ,&nbsp;Suman Chatterjee ,&nbsp;David Kinahan ,&nbsp;Dermot Brabazon","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100764","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100764","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nickel – titanium (NiTi) alloys are a promising class of advanced materials that exhibit unique mechanical properties, enabling their use in a wide range of industrial applications. Powder bed fusion laser beam (PBF-LB), one of the prominent additive manufacturing processes, has been widely utilized for fabricating NiTi alloy parts. However, the effect of Ni concentration on the tribological behavior of NiTi alloys has not previously been examined. In this study, two NiTi alloys were successfully fabricated using PBF-LB: Ni_51.1Ti_48.9 at.% alloy and Ni_49.8Ti_50.2 at.% alloy. The microstructure, microhardness, nano-scale properties and reciprocating wear behavior of these alloys were systematically investigated. Microstructural analysis revealed fine equiaxed structures interspersed with columnar dendrites in the Ni_49.8Ti_50.2 at.% alloy, whereas slightly coarser equiaxed cells were observed in the Ni_51.1Ti_48.9 at.% alloy. The Ni_49.8Ti_50.2 at.% alloy also exhibited higher micro and nanohardness compared to the Ni_51.1Ti_48.9 at.% alloy. Both as-printed NiTi alloys demonstrated a difference in the coefficient of friction (COF), with Ni_51.1Ti_48.9 at.% alloy achieving a slightly lower COF of 0.72, compared to 0.76 for Ni_49.8Ti_50.2 at.%. However, the as-printed Ni_49.8Ti_50.2 at.% alloy exhibited superior wear resistance, which correlated well with the micro and nanohardness, hardness to elastic modulus (<em>H/E</em>) ratio and strain hardening capacity. <em>Ex-situ</em> analysis indicated that the improved wear resistance of the Ni_49.8Ti_50.2 at.% alloy was primarily attributed to the stable tribolayers along the wear track, emerged as a dominant wear resistance mechanism, which was absent for the Ni_51.1Ti_48.9 at.% alloy. These results suggest that the lower Ni content alloy (Ni_49.8Ti_50.2 at.%) is a better candidate for tribological interfaces under heavy loading conditions, making it suitable for various industrial uses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article 100764"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143917769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Frequency selective surface microstructure patterning on silver-based low-e coatings: laser ablation and photolithography","authors":"Luqman Yunos,&nbsp;Peter J. Murphy,&nbsp;Marta Llusca Jane,&nbsp;Kamil Zuber","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100761","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100761","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) patterns on silver-based low-e coatings using laser ablation and photolithography were analysed. Both techniques significantly reduced signal attenuation from 30 dB to below 5 dB, with minimal impact on heat-blocking capabilities. Photolithography produced higher-quality patterns with thinner line widths although finer linewidth also resulted in larger attenuation. Both methods presented excellent optical properties and abrasion resistance. The findings suggest that FSS patterning can improve telecommunication signal transmission through low-e coatings, making them more suitable for modern connectivity needs in architectural and automotive applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article 100761"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143912278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthesis of a novel highly active single-atom nanozyme Cu-N-C with high surface area as a laccase-mimicking catalyst for the efficient catalytic aerobic oxidative synthesis of pyridines and quinazolinones at room temperature","authors":"Hamzeh Veisi,&nbsp;Amin Rostami","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100758","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100758","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nanozymes currently face challenges regarding their structure and efficiency compared to natural enzymes. Single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) enable the optimal utilization of metal atoms and the capability to surpass intrinsic limitations. Herein, we synthesized a novel laccase-mimicking nanozyme based on copper single atoms anchored on N-doped carbon (Cu-N-C) using a precursor mixture of 2-methylimidazole, zinc nitrate, and copper(II) nitrate. The synthesized SAzyme was subjected to various characterization techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Additionally, the Cu-N-C SAzyme, featuring spherical particles, exhibited a mesoporous structure with a high surface area of 321.14 m²/g as measured by BET, an average pore size of 1.29 nm, and a pore volume of 1.25 cm³/g. Cu-N-C combines the benefits of heterogeneous catalysts, such as easy separation and reusability, with those of homogeneous catalysts, including high activity and reproducibility. We report the first application of a Cu-N-C/DDQ/O₂ cooperative catalytic system for the efficient oxidation of 1,4-dihydropyridines to pyridines (85–96 % yield) and 2,3-dihydroquinazolinones to quinazolinones (83–96 % yield) in water/acetonitrile as a solvent at room temperature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article 100758"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143903783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nanoscale Engineering of Si/BDD/TiO2 heterostructure interfaces to enhance photoelectrochemical performance","authors":"Miroslav Behul ,&nbsp;Marián Marton ,&nbsp;Aleš Chvála ,&nbsp;Pavol Michniak ,&nbsp;Michal Pifko ,&nbsp;Hauke Honig ,&nbsp;Theresa Scheler ,&nbsp;Mario Kurniawan ,&nbsp;Marian Vojs","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100757","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100757","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The photocatalytic efficiency of BDD/TiO₂ photoelectrodes is enhanced by increased electrical fields due to nanostructuring of their interfaces. The interfaces of Si/BDD/TiO₂ heterostructure electrodes were engineered at the nanoscale, combining microstructuring of the Si substrate with nanostructuring of the boron-doped diamond (BDD) film. The hierarchical design increased the generated photocurrent by 6.5 times compared to ITO/TiO₂ electrodes and 4.6 times compared to unstructured BDD/TiO₂ electrodes. Both micro- and nanostructuring also lowered the threshold potential for photocurrent onset by 0.2 V, and nanostructuring also delayed photocurrent decay at higher applied potentials. The enhancement is related to a novel finding concerning the electrical field enhancement effect at the tip-like structured interfaces, which greatly improves the charge transfer through the heterostructure. In addition, the structured electrodes showed significant improvements in stability and resistance to delamination, making them highly competitive with state-of-the-art BDD/TiO₂ photoelectrodes for water treatment and hydrogen production applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article 100757"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143906513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Greener, safer, and stronger: plasma ion-exchanged pharmaceutical glass vials for precision drug delivery dosing","authors":"Ahmed Gamal Abd-Elsatar ,&nbsp;Hamada Elsayed ,&nbsp;Onat Basak ,&nbsp;Kamalan Mosas ,&nbsp;Aleksandra Nowicka ,&nbsp;Hana Kaňková ,&nbsp;Akansha Mehta ,&nbsp;Jozef Rahel ,&nbsp;Jozef Kraxner ,&nbsp;Dušan Galusek ,&nbsp;Enrico Bernardo","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100760","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100760","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study introduces the groundbreaking synergistic influence of plasma and ion-exchange treatment (P-IET), conducted under varying conditions at temperatures of 450 °C and 500 °C for 2, 12, and 24 h, preceded by a few seconds of pre-plasma treatment using a mixed air-argon gas approach. P-IET is a cost-effective, innovative, long-lasting, and industrially scalable process designed to improve the performance of Type I borosilicate glass across various pharmaceutical packaging forms and structures. This treatment produces a durable hydrophilic surface, as confirmed by FTIR analysis, which shows a broad and intense OH group peak at ∼3350 cm⁻¹, along with significant structural changes demonstrating enhanced water-attractive properties. Furthermore, P-IET significantly lowers water contact angles on the glass's inner surface, amplifying its hydrophilicity. These improvements are crucial for water-based drug formulations, facilitating efficient and waste-free drug delivery by enabling complete withdrawal and precise dosing—critical features and requirements for contemporary and modern pharmaceutical applications. This level of performance is crucial for ensuring safety and reducing waste associated with expensive and highly sensitive medications, including cytotoxic therapies and anticancer treatments.</div><div>Beyond hydrophilicity, P-IET also significantly enhances the mechanical strength of glass by generating a robust compressive layer, hence doubling its resistance to crushing loads by 2124 ± 21 N (e.g., at 500 °C for 24 h) compared to untreated standard vials available on the market today, which have a resistance 1157 ± 91 N. Moreover, P-IET sterilizes the glass surface by removing biological contaminants, microorganisms, and organic residues and improves chemical durability by reducing Na and K ion leach-out, thus assuring long-term chemical stability under various pH conditions. Notably, these are achieved without changing the colour or transparency of the glass vials with preserving their aesthetic or functional integrities. The proposed transformative technology addresses critical challenges in pharmaceutical packaging by introducing a greener, safer, and highly effective solution. P-IET enables the complete withdrawal of medications with precise dosing and boasts exceptional mechanical and chemical resistance. This innovation sets new standards and benchmarks for Type I borosilicate glass while promoting the development of novel drug delivery systems distinguished by their unique reliability and sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article 100760"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143898791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Photocatalytic activity mechanism of oxygen vacancy saturated blue WO3-x / exfoliated g-C3N4 Z-scheme heteronanostructures","authors":"S.H. Mousavi-Zadeh,&nbsp;R. Poursalehi,&nbsp;A. Yourdkhani","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100755","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100755","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this research, g-C₃N₄/WO_3-x nanostructures were synthesized through the polycondensation of urea in the presence of blue WO_3-x nanoparticles synthesized by arc discharge in water. This sequential synthesis approach has a direct impact on the interfacial junction between the highly activated surfaces of the blue WO_3-x nanoparticles(WOx), characterized by a heavily oxygen-defected structure, and the two-dimensional g-C₃N₄ nanosheets (GCN). This configuration presents a significant advantage by effectively reducing the recombination of charge carriers at the interfaces of Z-scheme heterojunctions. The phase transition temperature of the WO_3-x nanoparticles was closely aligned with the exfoliation temperature of g-C₃N₄, which facilitated optimal interaction and resulted in a uniform dispersion of WO_3-x nanoparticles on the g-C₃N₄ nanosheets. Structural, elemental, and optical analyses verified the homogeneous incorporation of WO_3-x into g-C₃N₄. Electron microscopy FE-SEM revealed that WO_3-x nanoparticles were evenly distributed across the g-C₃N₄ nanosheets, enhancing the photocatalytic activity compared to both pristine WO_3-x nanoparticles and g-C₃N₄ nanosheets. The photocatalytic efficiency was assessed for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light and UV irradiation, with the g-C₃N₄/WO_3-x (90:10 wt ratio) nanocomposite demonstrating superior activity, achieving rate constants of 1.54 h⁻¹ for MB approximately 8.56 times greater than that of pure WO_3-x. Additionally, the Z-scheme charge carrier migration mechanism and visible light absorption convergence activity contributed to the accelerated degradation of organic dyes. This study also examined the photocatalytic reaction mechanism using several scavenger tests and also evaluated the reutilization properties of the photocatalysts, showcasing their excellent stability and efficiency over multiple cycles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article 100755"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143894875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancement of the Bio-Responsiveness of PCL Nanofibers via the Combination of a Thiol Plasma-Polymerized Coating and Fibronectin Immobilization","authors":"Pegah Zahedifar,&nbsp;Rino Morent,&nbsp;Sheida Aliakbarshirazi,&nbsp;Rouba Ghobeira,&nbsp;Nathalie De Geyter","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100752","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100752","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To enhance cellular interactions with scaffolds used in tissue engineering, scaffold morphology should mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the scaffold should possess appropriate bulk and surface properties. This study aimed to improve the physiochemical and bio-responsive properties of hydrophobic electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers by applying a thiol-rich coating using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma polymerization at medium pressures with 1-propanethiol as monomer. The effects of carrier gas type, DBD chamber pressure, treatment time, and the Yasuda parameter (a combination of precursor flow rate and discharge power) on the plasma polymerization process were systematically investigated. Optimal deposition conditions were determined by analyzing the coated nanofibers using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water contact angle (WCA) measurements, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) aiming to achieve the highest thiol density coating while preserving the nanofibrous morphology. Our findings indicated that using argon as carrier gas resulted in a thicker coating with a significantly higher sulphur content compared to when helium was used as the carrier gas. Increasing deposition time from 5 to 15 minutes initially increased coating thickness, hydrophilicity, and sulphur content, reaching a saturation point after 10 minutes. The optimal chamber pressure was observed to be 10 kPa, as higher pressures caused nanofiber melting. Yasuda parameter analysis revealed that an intermediate value of 72 MJ/kg provided optimal thiol incorporation and coating stability. In a final step of the study, the effectiveness of the thiol coatings and subsequent fibronectin immobilization in enhancing Schwann cell adhesion and proliferation was assessed. The thiol-coated substrates demonstrated superior protein immobilization and significantly improved cell responses. Post-fibronectin immobilization, these substrates exhibited the highest cell viability, adhesion, and proliferation. These results highlight the synergistic effect of thiol plasma polymerization and fibronectin immobilization in promoting cellular responses on PCL nanofibers, underscoring their potential as a surface modification strategy for tissue engineering applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article 100752"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143888132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Protective coatings for complex organic flexible materials I: characterization and tribological performance of TiO2 and ZnO films deposited by magnetron sputtering on cork","authors":"B. Tiss ,&nbsp;D. Martínez-Martínez ,&nbsp;C. Mansilla ,&nbsp;J.R. Gomes ,&nbsp;C.S. Abreu ,&nbsp;N. Pereira ,&nbsp;L. Cunha","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100753","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100753","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The escalating imperative to combat the climate change has generated sustainability trends, leading to a rising demands for eco-friendly products. Cork and rubber are versatile materials based or derived from natural sources with various industrial uses and applications. This work represents the first part of a comprehensive investigation focusing on cork, with rubber being the subject of a subsequent paper. Cork shows unique properties which make it attractive for many applications beyond wine stoppers, such as bags, flooring, walls lining and aerospace components. Nevertheless, cork suffers from strong wearing when subjected to friction and mechanical wear. The objective of this work is to improve the tribological performance of cork by deposition of a protective oxide layer, while preserving its original appearance. As such, optically transparent TiO₂ and ZnO thin films were deposited onto silicon and cork substrates using magnetron sputtering. The TiO₂ thin films exhibited an amorphous structure while the ZnO films displayed texture along the (002) direction of hexagonal wurtzite structure of zinc oxide. ZnO-coated cork showed lower coefficient of friction against 100Cr6 stainless steel balls than uncoated cork, while TiO₂ coatings did not reveal any relevant improvement. The wear rate of the samples was evaluated using a novel method based on the analysis of energy dispersive spectra. All coated samples demonstrated an improvement regarding wear resistance, although ZnO films seem to be more effective, in line with the reduction of friction coefficient up to 38 % respect uncoated cork. The detection of metallic oxide coatings within the wear track after the tribotests indicates a strong adhesion of both coatings to the cork substrate, which is supported by tensile tests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article 100753"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143873616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}