ÔØ Å ÒÙ× Ö ÔØOptical and mechanical characterization of novel cobalt-based metal oxide thin films synthesized using sol-gel dip-coating method This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
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AbstractNew cobalt-based metal oxide thin films (M x Co y O z with M = Mn, Cu, Ni) have been deposited on commercial aluminium and glass substrates using sol-gel dip-coating method.The as-deposited films were characterized by a wide range of complementary techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Spectrophotometry and Nanoindentation techniques. A light absorption study for coatings on glass substrates within a wavelength range of 300-1100 nm was also conducted. Topographical and morphological investigations showed the presence of nano-sized, grain-like particles in the copper-cobalt oxide coatings, which consequently had the roughest surface among the three coatings. All coatings on glass substrate exhibited higher absorption of ultraviolet (UV) light compared to visible light, while coatings on aluminium substrate generally had low reflectance (< 50 %) of UV light, moderate reflectance (< 80 %) of visible light and high reflectance (up to 100 %) of infrared light. Implications of optical properties as a function of film thickness controlled by dip-heating cycles were discussed. The elastic modulus (E) and hardness (H) of thin film samples compared with standalone commercial aluminium substrate were also measured.