New developments and applications in sol-gel coatings

Abstract

In this overview we describe some recent developments of technological interest realized at INM in the processing of sol-gel coatings. Nanoscale crystalline particles, fully redispersed in aqueous solutions, have been developed to produce thin ceramic layers at low temperature. As an example, antistatic optical coatings and conducting membranes based on SnO2:Sb material are reported. New wet chemical processes have been developed to extend the sol-gel basic principles for the coating of oxide compounds on plastic (biomimetic process) and sulfide materials (MoS2). Also ink-jet and pad printing processes, well established in other fields, have been adapted for the development of micro structured coatings. As examples, the realization of single and arrays of spherical and cylindrical refractive microlenses is presented. Finally non conventional sintering process using high power CO2 laser is exemplified for the obtention of optical quality transparent conducting coatings under high sintering rate (30 cm2/s).