Fabrication of C-Doped Titanium Dioxide Coatings with Improved Anti-icing and Tribological Behavior

The accumulation of ice on solid surfaces can cause serious losses and accidents. Current anti-icing/deicing coatings find it difficult to maintain their properties under frequent mechanical wear. In this work, the aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition method was employed to prepare C-doped titanium dioxide coatings that have both photothermal properties and excellent wear resistance. The temperature of the sample surface reached 37.6 °C after 2 sun (2 kW/m²) irradiation for 30 min at -30 °C. Compared to a pristine titanium dioxide coating, the C-doped titanium dioxide coatings demonstrated superior antifriction behavior, with the friction coefficient reduced by 47% under dry conditions. These wear resistance properties make C-doped titanium dioxide coatings highly suitable for a range of outdoor applications, especially for anti-icing purposes.

Recent Advances in Processing and Applications of Heterobimetallic Oxide Thin Films by Aerosol-assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition

The fabrication of smart, efficient, and innovative devices critically needs highly refined thin-film nanomaterials; therefore, facile, scalable, and economical methods of thin films production are highly sought-after for the sustainable growth of the hi-tech industry. The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique is widely implemented at the industrial level due to its versatile features. However, common issues with a precursor, such as reduced volatility and thermal stability, restrict the use of CVD to produce novel and unique materials. A modified CVD approach, named aerosol-assisted CVD (AACVD), has been the center of attention due to its remarkable tendency to fabricate uniform, homogenous, and distinct nano-architecture thin films in an uncomplicated and straightforward manner. Above all, AACVD can utilize any custom-made or commercially available precursors, which can be transformed into a transparent solution in a common organic solvent; thus, a vast array of compounds can be used for the formation of nanomaterial thin films. This review article highlights the importance of AACVD in fabricating heterobimetallic oxide thin films and their potential in making energy production (e. g., photoelectrochemical water splitting), energy storage (e. g., supercapacitors), and environmental protection (e. g., electrochemical sensors) devices. A heterobimetallic oxide system involves two metallic species either in a composite, solid solution, or metal-doped metal oxides. Moreover, the AACVD tunable parameters, such as temperature, deposition time, and precursor, which drastically affect thin films microstructure and their performance in device applications, are also discussed. Lastly, the key challenges and issues of scaling up AACVD to the industrial level and processing for emerging functional materials are also highlighted.

Development of Thick Superhydrophilic TiO2-ZrO2 Transparent Coatings Realized through the Inclusion of Poly(methyl methacrylate) and Pluronic-F127

A thick coating of hierarchically porous double-templated TiO₂-ZrO₂-PMMA-PF127 with excellent self-cleaning properties and high transmittance has been developed for the first time on glass substrates using a simple dip-coating technique. Comparative studies of this sample with a thick and transparent coating of single-templated TiO₂-ZrO₂-PMMA have been performed to probe the origin of its exceptional properties. The formation of the composites, successful incorporation of the polymer into the matrix, and the porous nature of the films have been studied. The presence of Ti²⁺ in the double-templated samples has been confirmed, which suggest the chemisorption of water on the surface of the film. The variation in the self-cleaning properties of the samples on UV-illumination has also been studied. The double-templated film is found to possess the capability of good hydrophilic retention even 2 days after UV-irradiation.

Continuous Hydrothermal Synthesis of Inorganic Nanoparticles: Applications and Future Directions

Nanomaterials are at the leading edge of the emerging field of nanotechnology. Their unique and tunable size-dependent properties (in the range 1-100 nm) make these materials indispensable in many modern technological applications. In this Review, we summarize the state-of-art in the manufacture and applications of inorganic nanoparticles made using continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis (CHFS) processes. First, we introduce ideal requirements of any flow process for nanoceramics production, outline different approaches to CHFS, and introduce the pertinent properties of supercritical water and issues around mixing in flow, to generate nanoparticles. This Review then gives comprehensive coverage of the current application space for CHFS-made nanomaterials including optical, healthcare, electronics (including sensors, information, and communication technologies), catalysis, devices (including energy harvesting/conversion/fuels), and energy storage applications. Thereafter, topics of precursor chemistry and products, as well as materials or structures, are discussed (surface-functionalized hybrids, nanocomposites, nanograined coatings and monoliths, and metal-organic frameworks). Later, this Review focuses on some of the key apparatus innovations in the field, such as in situ flow/rapid heating systems (to investigate kinetics and mechanisms), approaches to high throughput flow syntheses (for nanomaterials discovery), as well as recent developments in scale-up of hydrothermal flow processes. Finally, this Review covers environmental considerations, future directions and capabilities, along with the conclusions and outlook.

Preparation of mesoporous SiO2/Bi2O3/TiO2 superhydrophilic thin films and their surface self-cleaning properties

Mesoporous SiO₂/Bi₂O₃/TiO₂ triple-layered thin films were prepared on glass slides using a simple sol–gel/spin-coating method.

Antibacterial properties of Cu–ZrO2thin films prepared via aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition

The antibacterial properties of a Cu–ZrO₂film grownviaaerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition are presented.