Ozone electrogeneration on Pt-TaO_y sol-gel film modified titanium electrode: Effect of electrode composition on the electrocatalytic activity

This work examines the ozone electrogeneration （OE） at a binary coating of different nominal compositions （Pt）x-（TaOy）（100-x）, where x （percentage in the precursor solution） varied between 1% and 100%, coated on titanium substrate prepared by a sol-gel technique, The OE is performed in an artificial tap water at room temperature （25 ℃）. The percentages of Pt and Tatu in the coating significantly affect the electro- catalytic activity towards oxygen evolution. The oxygen evolution was retarded to a different extent based on the electrode composition. The largest retardation was obtained at the （Pt）10-（TaOy）90 electrode （ca. 480 mV positive shift） as compared with the （Pt）100-（TaOy）0 electrode. This was reflected in a high current efficiency （CE） of OE （ca. 19.3%） at the former electrode. This value is considered to be among the highest values reported for OE at 25℃ in neutral media. The composite electrodes were characterized by voltammetric and surface techniques. A plausible explanation for the change of the efficiency of OE with the electrode composition is given based on the electrochemical results.

A Chemiluminescence Optical Fiber Glucose Biosensor Based on Co-immobilizing Glucose Oxidase and Horseradish Peroxidase in a Sol-gel Film

An optical fiber bienzyme sensor based on the luminol chemiluminescent reaction was developed and demonstrated to be sensitive to glucose. Glucose oxidase(GOD) and horseradish peroxidase(HRP) were co-immobilized by microencapsulation in a sol-gel film derived from tetraethyl orthosilicate(TEOS). The calibration plots for glucose were established by the optical fiber glucose sensor fabricated by attaching the bienzyme silica gel onto the glass window of the fiber bundle. The linear range was 0 2-2 mmol/L and the detection limit was approximately 0 12 mmol/L. The relative standard deviation was 5.3% ( n =6). The proposed biosensor was applied to glucose assay in ofloxacin injection successfully.

Amperometric Hydrogen Peroxide Biosensor Based on Horseradish Peroxidase Entrapped in Titania Sol-Gel Film on Screen-Printed Electrode

We report the fabrication of disposable and flexible Screen-Printed Electrodes (SPEs). This new type of screen-printed electrochemical platform consists of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) and graphite composite. For this purpose, silver nanoparticles were first synthesized by a chemical reduction method. The morphology and structure of the AgNPs were analyzed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and UV-Visible spectroscopy. Graphite was chosen as the working electrode material for the fabrication of a thick-film. The fabrication of a screen-printed hydrogen peroxide biosensor consisting of three electrodes on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate was performed with a spraying approach (working, counter and reference: enzyme electrode, graphite, pseudo reference: Ag/AgCl). This biosensor was fabricated by immobilizing the peroxidase enzyme (HRP) in a Titania sol-gel membrane which was obtained through a vapor deposition method. The biosensor had electrocatalytic activity in the reduction of H2O2 with linear dependence on H2O2 concentration in the range of 10-5 to 10-3 M;the detection limit was 4.5 × 10-6 M.

Effects of Physical Parameters on Bacterial Cell Adsorption onto Pre-Imprinted Sol-Gel Films

Organically modified silica (ORMOSILS) thin films produced by sol-gel method were imprinted with two bacterial strains as whole cells in order to develop an easy, fast and specific probe to detect and specifically identify these micro-organisms when present in water samples. An important feature of the imprinting process was the molecular finger-prints left by these microorganisms alongside morphology, into imprinted film cavities. The films also showed high selectivity toward the imprinted template and were able to discriminate between two very close bacterial species (E. coli and S. typhimurium). In addition, several central physical parameters of the experimental water solution were examined (i.e., pH, ionic strength and the organic load exemplified by NaCl and TOC concentration, respectively). The method sensitivity to different bacterial concentrations was studied by confocal microscopy (CLSM) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) tools. Results showed that increased bacterial concentrations favor rapid adsorption onto imprinted sol-gel films with high affinity, while low pH, increased organic load and high ionic concentrations (i.e., seawater) interfere with bacteria re-adsorption, reducing detection capability. Under average drinking water chemical composition the method proved to be highly efficient.

ZIF-8 Modified Ce-Sol-gel Film on Rebar for Enhancing Corrosion Resistance

Chloride-induced corrosion of steel reinforcement is the key factor leading to the degradation of reinforced concrete building durability.Improving the corrosion resistance of oxide scale of rebar has always been a research hotspot in the field of civil engineering materials.A ZIF-8 modified Ce-Sol-gel(ZCS)film was prepared on oxide scale of plain steel rebars by sol-gel method.It is observed that the|Z|_(0.01 Hz)value of the ZCS film reached 320 kΩcm^(2),which is about 29 times higher than that of blank rebar in simulated concrete pore(SCP)solution with 0.1 M NaCl.Then,they were inserted into mortar block and curing them in a curing box at T=20±2℃and RH=95±2%for 28 days.Subsequently,these samples were subject to electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in 3.5 wt%NaCl.The|Z|_(0.01 Hz)value of the rebar with the ZCS film was six times higher than that of the blank rebar after immersing for 20 days,resulting in an overall increase in corrosion resistance for rebar.The results indicated that the modification by ZIF-8 could reduce the porosity of Ce-sol-gel(CS)film and improved the“labyrinth effect”of the film.Additionally,the negative charge on the surface of ZIF-8 in alkaline condition increased the repulsion effect with Cl−,significantly reducing the sensitivity of rebar to Cl−.

Poly(lactic acid)/Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)films with simultaneous high oxygen barrier and fast degradation properties

Although poly(lactic acid)(PLA)is a good environmentally-friendly bio-degradable polymer which is used to substitute traditional petrochemical-based polymer packaging films,the barrier properties of PLA films are still insufficient for high-barrier packaging applications.In this study,oxygen scavenger hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene(HTPB)and cobalt salt catalyst were incorporated into the PLA/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)(PLA/PBAT),followed by melting extrusion and three-layer co-extrusion blown film process to prepare the composite films.The oxygen permeability coefficient of the composite film combined with 6 wt%oxygen scavenger and 0.4 wt%catalyst was decreased significantly from 377.00 cc·mil·m^(-2)·day^(-1)·0.1 MPa^(-1) to 0.98 cc·mil·m^(-2)·day^(-1)·0.1 MPa^(-1),showing a remarkable enhancement of 384.69 times compared with the PLA/PBAT composite film.Meanwhile,the degradation behavior of the composite film was also accelerated,exhibiting a mass loss of nearly 60%of the original mass after seven days of degradation in an alkaline environment,whereas PLA/PBAT composite film only showed a mass loss of 32%.This work has successfully prepared PLA/PBAT composite films with simultaneously improved oxygen barrier property and degradation behavior,which has great potential for high-demanding green chemistry packaging industries,including food,agricultural,and military packaging.

A Novel Approach to Synthesizing Porous ZnO Films: Inorganic Chelating Sol-Gel Method

Porous ZnO films are synthesized by inorganic chelating sol-gel method,which is a novel sol-gel technique using zinc nitrate as starting materials and citric acid as the chelating reagent.The crystal structure,surface morphology,porous and optical properties of the deposited films are investigated.X-ray diffraction pattern analysis shows that crystal structure of the ZnO films is hexagonal wurtzite.Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows that the ZnO film is porous.The curve of pore size distribution has two peak values at about 2.02nm and 4.97nm and BET surface area of the ZnO film is 27.57m2/g.In addition,the transmittance spectrum gives a high transmittance of 85% in the visible region and optical bandgap of the ZnO film (fired at 500℃) is 3.25eV.

Surface modification of NiTi alloy by sol-gel derived porous TiO_(2)film

Titania films with nano-sized pores were prepared on the NaOH？HCl pretreated NiTi alloy substrate by sol？gel method.A crack-free film is obtained for the sample with a dense inner layer and a porous outside layer（sample TC1＋1）.The X-ray diffraction shows that the titania films are composed of anatase,and a little Ni4Ti3 phase in the heat treated substrate is also detected.The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicate that the titania film completely covered the NiTi substrate for sample TC1＋1.The sample TC1＋1 is hydrophilic with a contact angle about 20°,and UV illumination treatment for 15 min further decreases the contact angle to（9.2±3.2）°.The potentiodynamic polarization test in 0.9% NaCl solution reveals a better corrosion resistance of sample TC1＋1 than the polished NiTi sample.

Sol-gel preparation, corrosion resistance and hydrophilicity of Ta-containing TiO_2 films on Ti6Al4V alloy

Ta-containing TiO2 films with Ta contents of 5%, 20%, 33% （mole fraction） were sol-gel coated on the surface roughened Ti6AI4V alloy by dip coating method for biomedical applications. The Ta-TiO2 films on 1.5 mol/L NaOH-HCI pretreated substrate are adherent, but there are cracks for the sample with 33% Ta. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that Ti and Ta exist as TiP2 and Ta205 in the film, and A1 element is not detectable. X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering analyses reveal that the addition of Ta decreases crystallization of the films. Potentiodynamic polarization test in a Ca-free Hank＇s balanced solution demonstrates that the coating samples markedly improve the corrosion resistance compared with the polished sample. The addition of Ta impedes UV light-induced hydrophilic conversion of the coating samples. The sample with 20% Ta has enough film integrity and hydrophilic conversion rate, and is expected to possess good biological properties.

Preparations of TiO_2 film coated on foam nickel substrate by sol-gel processes and its photocatalytic activity for degradation of acetaldehyde

Anatase TiO2 films were successfully prepared on foam nickel substrates by sol-gel technique using tetrabutyl titanate as precursor. The characteristics of the TiO2 films were investigated by XPS, XRD, FE-SEM, TEM and UV-Vis absorption spectra. The photocatalytic activities of TiO2 films were investigated by photocatalytic degradation reactions of gaseous acetaldehyde, an indoor pollutant, under ultraviolet light irradiation. It was found that Ni^2＋ doping into TiO2 films due to the foam nickel substrates resulted in the extension of absorption edges of TiO2 films from UV region to visible light region. The pre-heating for foam nickel substrates resulted in the formation of NiO layer, which prevented effectively the injection of photogenerated electrons from TiO2 films to metal nickel. The TiO2 films displayed high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of acetaldehyde, and were enhanced by calcining the substrates and coating TiO2 films repeatedly. The high activity was mainly attributed to the improvement of the characteristics of substrate surface and the increase of active sites on photocatalyst.

Upconversion properties of Y_2O_3:Er films prepared by sol-gel method

Y2O3：Er^3＋ films were prepared by a simple sol-gel process. The structural properties of Y2O3：Er^3＋ films were characterized with X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that the Y2O3：Er^3＋ films might have high upconversion efficiency because of their low vibrational energy. Under 785 and 980 nm laser excitation, the samples showed green （^2H11/2→^4I15/2, ^4S3/2→^4I15/2） and red （^4F9/2→^4I15/2） upconversion emissions. The upconversion mechanisms were studied in detail through laser power dependence. Excited state absorption and energy transfer process were discussed as possible upconversion mechanisms. The cross relaxation process in Er^3＋ was also investigated.

Grain Size and Photocatalytic Activity of Nanometer TiO_2 Thin Films Prepared by the Sol-gel Method

Transparent anatase TiO2 nanometer thin films with photocatalytic activity were prepared via the sol-gel method on soda-lime glass. The thickness , crystalline phase, grain size, surface hydroxyl amount and so on were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) , X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy ( TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV-visible spectrophotometer ( UV-VIS). The photocatalytic activity of TiO2 thin films was evaluated for the photocatalytic decolorization of aqueous methyl orange . The effects of film thickness on the crystalline phase, grain size, transmittance and photocatalytic activity of nanometer Ti02 thin films were discussed.

Luminescence Properties of Tb^(3+)-Doped LuAG Films Prepared by Pechini Sol-Gel Method

Lu3Al5O12（LuAG） thin films with different Tb^3＋ concentration were prepared on carefully cleaned （111 ） silicon wafer by a Peehini process and dip-coating technique. Heat treatment was performed in the temperature range from 800 to 1100 ℃. The crystal structure was analyzed by XRD. The results show that LuAG film starts to crystallize at about 900 ℃, and the particle size increases with the sintering temperature. Excitation and emission spectra of Tb^3＋ doped LuAG films were measured. The effects of heat-treatment temperature and doping concentration of Th3 ＋ on the luminescent properties were also investigated. For a comparison study, Th^3＋-doped LuAG powders were also prepared by the same sol-gel method.

Sol-gel Preparation and Preliminary in vitro Evaluation of Fluorapatite/Hydroxyapatite Solid Solution Films

Fluorapatite/hydroxyapatite solid solution has better biological properties than other apatites, especially used as films or coatings. In this work, sol-gel preparation and in vitro behavior of fluorapatite/hydroxyapatite solid solution films on titanium alloy were investigated. Ca(NO3)2·4H2O and PO(OH)K(OEt)3-x. were selected as precursors, and hexafluorophosphoric acid (HPF6) was used as a fluorine containing reagent. The Ca and P precursors were mixed with HPF6 to keep the Ca/P molar ratio 1.67. The mixtures refluxed for 12 h were used as dipping sols for the preparation of the films. The phase of the films obtained at 600℃ was apatite. The F contents in the films increased with the concentrations of HPF6 in the dipping sols. The solid solution films were shown to have better stability than hydroxyapatite films, and a reasonably good bioactivity in the in vitro evaluation.

Microstructure Control of Nanoporous Silica Thin Film Prepared by Sol-gel Process

Nanoporous silica films were prepared by sol-gel process with base, acid and base/acid two-step catalysis.Transmission electron microscope （TEM） and particle size analyzer were used to characterize the microstructure and the particle size distribution of the sols. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, atomic force microscopy （AFM） and spectroscopic ellipsometer were used to characterize the surface microstructure and the optical properties of the silica films. Stability of the sols during long-term storage was investigated. Moreover,the dispersion relation of the optical constants of the silica films, and the control of the microstructure and properties of the films by changing the catalysis conditions during sol-gel process were also discussed.

Preparation and Characterization of Sol-Gel Derived Au Nanoparticle Dispersed Y_2O_3∶Eu Films

Gold nanoparticles dispersed Y2O3 films were prepared through a sol-gel method by using yttrium acetate and Au nanoparticles colloid as precursors. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and UV-VIS absorption spectra. XRD patterns and TEM images of Y2O3 ＋ Au films give the same resuits on structure and particle size as that of pure Y2O3 films. The surface plasma resonance （SPR） of Au nanoparticles in Y2O3 ＋ Au film was observed around 550 nm in the absorption spectrum and its position shifts to red with increasing annealing temperature is caused by the increase of dielectric constant of Y2O3 matrix and the size of Au nanoparticles. The second and third order nonlinear optical effects of Y2O3 ＋ Au films were also observed. The photoluminescent properties of Y2O3 ： Eu ＋ Au films were investigated and results indicate that there exist an energy transfer from Eu^3 ＋ to Au nanoparticles and this energy transfer decreases the emission of Eu^3 ＋ in Y2O3 ： Eu ＋ Au film.

Sol-gel preparation and phosphorescence property of Mn^(2+)-doped zinc boro-silicate glass thin films

Mn2＋-doped zinc borosilicate （ZBSM） glass thin films were first synthesized by sol-gel method. In the experiment, a thin gel film was depos-ited onto quartz glass substrates by dip-coating method and then heat-treated to form a Mn2＋-doped zinc borosilicate glass thin film. Long lasting phosphorescence （LLP） and photo-stimulated long lasting phosphorescence （PSLLP） were found in the film sample. According to fluorescence spectra, LLP emission spectra, and PSLLP emission spectra, both LLP and PSLLP emissions are attributed to the energy level transition of 4Eg→4A1g from Mn2＋. Both the phosphorescence intensity decay curves contain a fast decay component and another slow decay one. The thermoluminescence （TL） spectra show that the sample has two kinds of traps at least and their energy level values are about 0.8 eV and 1.02 eV, which could be estimated by the Randall and Willcins formula. The infrared absorption spectra （IR） consist of characteristic vi-bration bands of Si-O-Si, Si-O-Zn, B-O in [BO3], B-O group, and Zn-O in [ZnO4]. Moreover, image storage and logical operation of the ZBSM film were carried out successfully through an experiment analogues of optical storage.

Preparation of LiNbO_3 films on Si(111) substrates by a modified sol-gel process

The preparation of LiNbO 3 films on Si substrates was improved by adding CH 3CH 2OH solution containing a little water to the sol of LiNb(OC 2H 5) 6. The crystallization behavior of LiNbO 3 films on Si (111) substrates was studied and completely c axis oriented LiNbO 3 films were obtained. Such factors as the hydrogen termination of silicon surface, the RTP annealing process used, the unidirectional heat flow and the preheating temperature were taken into consideration while the crystallization of c axis oriented films was analysed. Surface morphologies of the films annealed in RTP and conventional furnaces were observed by means of AFM.

STUDY ON PHOTOCATALYTIC MECHANISM OF SOL-GEL-DERIVED Pb-DOPED TiO_2 THIN FILMS

Pb-doped TiO2 photocatalytic thin films were prepared on a soda-lime glass substrate via sol-gel method using TiO2 sol solution containing lead and characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that besides oxides of Ti(IV) there is a certain amount of oxides of To(?) and Ti(?) and Pb exists in the forms of PbTiO3 and PbO. The photocatalytic activity of the Pb-doped TiO2 films was evaluated by the photocatalytic decolorization of aqueous methyl orange and photocatalytic mechanism mas also analyzed.

Effect of surfactants on the structure and photoelectric properties of ITO films by sol-gel method

The Indium tin oxide（ITO） thin film possesses excellent photoelectric properties that enable it to act as an ideal transparent conductor.To obtain high-quality ITO films through sol-gel method, the ionic surfactant monoethanolamine and the non-ionic surfactant polyethylene glycol（PEG） were added to the ITO precursor slurry.The influences of surfactants on the structural and photoelectric properties of ITO film samples were investigated.XRD patterns indicated that surfactant monoethanolamine contributed to film predominant grain orientation along the（400） plane.The high transmittance（over 95%） was attributed to the preferred orientation and the grain size expansion of ITO films.SEM showed that the surface particle size and the morphology of ITO films were strongly dependent on the kind of surfactants used.Moving to the shortwave region, the absorption edge of the films exhibited the Burstein-Moss shift.