CoatMat

High surface area MgAl2O4 has been synthesised by a sonochemical method. Two kinds of precursors were used, alkoxides and nitrates/acetates and in both cases nanostructured MgAl2O4 was obtained. The effect of the addition of a surfactant during the sonication, cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, was also investigated. In the case of alkoxides precursors the as-made product is a mixture of hydroxides of aluminium and magnesium, while with nitrates/acetates a gel is obtained after sonication, containing the metal hydroxides and ammonium nitrate.

In the present work, TiO2 films deposited on polyethylene terephthalate substrates by dip coating technique were subsequently treated by DC glow discharge plasma as a function of discharge potential. Hydrophilicity of these TiO2 film surfaces was analyzed by contact angle measurements. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed changes in surface morphology of the plasma treated TiO2 films. Modifications in structural and chemical composition of the TiO2 films were detected by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

In this paper, the surfaces of PET/TiO2 thin film were modified by DC glow discharge plasma as a function of discharge potentials for improving the bioactivity. The hydrophilicity of the plasma-treated PET/TiO2 film was measured by contact angle measurement and the surface energy was estimated by using Fowkes method. The structural and chemical composition of the plasma-treated PET/TiO2 was analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

The thrust and efficiency of turbine engines are directly related to the operating temperature. In order to increase temperature without damaging the metallic parts of the engine, thermal barrier coatings (TBC) made of thick ceramic layers are currently deposited on the surface of high pressure turbine blades and vanes of aero engines. However, in the hostile engine environment, the TBC is subjected to degradation phenomena that limit its reliability and time of life. Thus, the comprehension of the TBC degradation process in this aggressive environment entails the greatest importance.

Electrodeposition is well-known as a versatile and economical processing technique to produce metal coatings on conductive substrates. Recently, it has been gaining increasing interest also for the production of tailored composite coatings, containing for instance floropolymers or silicon carbide. A more novel approach concerns the use of carbon nanotubes or even graphene, in the form of graphite nano-platelets.