Getnet Tsegaye Gashaw, Cruz Nilson C, Rangel Elidiane Cipriano
Laboratory of Technological Plasmas, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Sorocaba 18087-180, SP, Brazil.
Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar P.O. Box 79, Ethiopia.
Micromachines (Basel). 2023 Jul 21;14(7):1463. doi: 10.3390/mi14071463.
Titanium dioxide has attracted a great deal of attention in the field of environmental purification due to its photocatalytic activity under ultraviolet light. Photocatalytic efficiency and the energy required to initiate the process remain the drawbacks that hinder the widespread adoption of the process. Consistently with this, it is proposed here the polymerization of hexamethyldisiloxane fragments simultaneously to TiO sputtering for the production of thin films in low-pressure plasma. The effect of plasma excitation power on the molecular structure and chemical composition of the films was evaluated by infrared spectroscopy. Wettability and surface energy were assessed by a sessile drop technique, using deionized water and diiodomethane. The morphology and elemental composition of the films were determined using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy, respectively. The thickness and roughness of the resulting films were measured using profilometry. Organosilicon-to-silica films, with different properties, were deposited by combining both deposition processes. Titanium was detected from the structures fabricated by the hybrid method. It has been observed that the proportion of titanium and particles incorporated into silicon-based matrices depends on the plasma excitation power. In general, a decrease in film thickness with increasing power has been observed. The presence of Ti in the plasma atmosphere alters the plasma deposition mechanism, affecting film deposition rate, roughness, and wettability. An interpretation of the excitation power dependence on the plasma activation level and sputtering yield is proposed. The methodology developed here will encourage researchers to create TiO films on a range of substrates for their prospective use as sensor electrodes, water and air purification systems, and biocompatible materials.
二氧化钛因其在紫外光下的光催化活性而在环境净化领域备受关注。光催化效率和启动该过程所需的能量仍然是阻碍该过程广泛应用的缺点。与此一致，本文提出在低压等离子体中，将六甲基二硅氧烷片段与TiO溅射同时进行聚合以制备薄膜。通过红外光谱评估等离子体激发功率对薄膜分子结构和化学成分的影响。使用去离子水和二碘甲烷，通过静滴技术评估润湿性和表面能。分别使用扫描电子显微镜和能量色散光谱确定薄膜的形态和元素组成。使用轮廓仪测量所得薄膜的厚度和粗糙度。通过结合两种沉积工艺，沉积了具有不同性质的有机硅到二氧化硅薄膜。从通过混合方法制备的结构中检测到钛。已经观察到，掺入硅基基质中的钛和颗粒的比例取决于等离子体激发功率。一般来说，随着功率增加，薄膜厚度会减小。等离子体气氛中Ti的存在改变了等离子体沉积机制，影响薄膜沉积速率、粗糙度和润湿性。提出了对激发功率对等离子体活化水平和溅射产率的依赖性的解释。本文开发的方法将鼓励研究人员在一系列基板上制备TiO薄膜，以便将其用作传感器电极、水和空气净化系统以及生物相容性材料。
