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Functional thin films synthesized from liquid precursors by combining mist chambers and atmospheric-pressure plasma polymerization
For the creation of thin films, the use of precursors in liquid phase offers a viable alternative when these chemicals are sensitive to high temperatures and phase changes. However, it requires appropriate liquid handling and deposition technologies capable of dispensing the fluid homogeneously to produce a uniform thin film. We report different tailor-made mist chamber designs integrated in an atmospheric-pressure plasma polymerization process for the synthesis of functional thin polymer films from liquid precursors. A systematic investigation, evaluated by performance indicators, is presented on the characteristics and suitability of metallic 3D-printed mist chambers depending on inner volume, geometry and surface post-treatment, for the deposition of a thin liquid monomer film. To assess the quality of the subsequently obtained plasma-polymerized (pp) films, their properties were characterized in terms of thickness, chemical composition, surface morphology and stability in aqueous environment. It was found that the specification of the mist chambers along with the plasma process parameters influences the pp film’s thickness, surface morphology and degree of monomer conversion. This study is one of the first demonstrations of a controllable process able to tune the cross-linked polymeric chains of plasma-polymers at atmospheric pressure, highlighting the opportunities of using mist chambers and plasma technology to discover tailored organic thin films to materials sciences and life sciences.
Comparative Analysis of Raman Signal Amplifying Effectiveness of Silver Nanostructures with Different Morphology
To increase the attractiveness of the practical application of molecular sensing methods, the experimental search for the optimal shape of silver nanostructures allowing to increase the Raman cross section by several orders of magnitude is of great interest. This paper presents a detailed study of spatially separated plasmon-active silver nanostructures grown in SiO2/Si template pores with crystallite, dendrite, and “sunflower-like” nanostructures shapes. Nile blue and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole were chosen as the model analytes for comparative evaluation of the Raman signal amplification efficiency using these structures. It was discussed the features of the structures for the enhancement of Raman intensity. Finally, we showed that silver crystals, dendrites, and “sunflower-like” nanostructures in SiO2/Si template could be used as the relevant materials for Raman signal amplification, but with different efficiency.
Improved Adhesion of the DLC Coating Using HiPIMS with Positive Pulses and Plasma Immersion Pretreatment
Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings are used due to their extraordinary tribomechanical properties, great hardness, high elastic modulus, high wear resistance, low friction coefficient and chemical inertness, which provide them with biocompatibility. Compared to other physical vapor deposition (PVD) coatings of transition nitrides and carbonitrides, DLC has limited adhesion, so it is necessary to develop new techniques to overcome this limitation. This work reports the results of scratch testing for the measurement of adhesion and of tests for wear resistance and nanoindentation in AISI 316L stainless steel coated with a WC:C coating, produced using novel high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) technology with positive pulses. In addition, the use of a preceding surface modification technique, specifically plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII), was studied with the aim of optimizing the adhesion of the coating. The results show how the coating improved the tribomechanical properties through the use of positive pulse HiPIMS compared to conventional HiPIMS, with an adhesion result that reached critical load values of 48.5 N and a wear coefficient of 3.96 × 10−7 mm3/nm
Designing Gallium-Containing Hydroxyapatite Coatings on Low Modulus Beta Ti-45Nb Alloy
Low-modulus β-type Ti-45Nb alloy is a promising implant material due to its good mechanical biocompatibility, non-toxicity, and outstanding corrosion resistance. Its excellent chemical stability brings new challenges to chemical surface modification treatments, which are indispensable for both osteogenesis and antibacterial performance. Coatings containing metal ions as anti-microbial agents can be an effective way to reduce implant-associated infections caused by bacterial biofilm. Gallium ion (Ga3+) has the potential to reduce bacterial viability and biofilm formation on implant surfaces. In this study, a novel two-step process has been proposed for Ga3+ incorporation in hydroxyapatite (HAP) to develop bioactive and antibacterial surfaces on Ti-45Nb alloy. For the generation of bioactive surface states, HAP electrodeposition was conducted, followed by wet chemical immersion treatments in gallium nitrate (1 mM). Different buffers such as phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, ammonium acetate, and citrate were added to the solution to maintain a pH value in the range of 6.5–6.9. Coating morphology and HAP phases were retained after treatment with gallium nitrate, and Ga3+ ion presence on the surface up to 1 wt.% was confirmed. Combining Ga and HAP shows great promise to enable the local delivery of Ga3+ ions and consequent antibacterial protection during bone regeneration, without using growth factors or antibiotics.
Water-Free SbOx ALD Process for Coating Bi2Te3 Particle
We developed a water-free atomic layer deposition (ALD) process to homogeneously deposit SbOx using SbCl5 and Sb-Ethoxide as precursors, and report it here for the first time. The coating is applied on Bi2Te3 particles synthesized via the solvothermal route to enhance the thermoelectric properties (i.e., Seebeck coefficient, thermal and electrical conductivity) via interface engineering. The amorphous character of the coating was shown by the missing reflexes on the X-ray diffractograms (XRD). A shift from the oxidation state +III to +V of the Sb species was observed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), indicating increased thickness of the SbOx coating layer. Additionally, a peak shift of the Sb 3d5/2 + O 1s peak indicated increased n-type doping of the material. Electrical measurements of spark plasma-sintered bulk samples confirmed the doping effect on the basis of decreased specific resistivity with increasing SbOx layer thickness. The Seebeck coefficient was improved for the coated sample with 500 cycles of SbOx, while the total thermal conductivity was reduced, resulting in enhancement of the zT. The results distinctly show that surface engineering via powder ALD is an effective tool for improving key properties of thermoelectric materials like electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient.