The Influence of Treatment Temperature on Surface Properties of Inorganic-Organic Films

Abstract

The paper deals with the treatment temperature influence of inorganic-organic films on their surface properties. Inorganic-organic films were prepared by sol-gel method in "tetraethoxysilane -triethoxy(octyl)silane -water -nitric acid -isopropyl alcohol" system, and they were treated at temperatures of 140, 160, 180, 200 and 220 °C. The atomic force microscopy and sessile drop technique were used for characterization of film surface. The morphology, rms-roughness, and surface wettability (hydrophobicity) were evaluated. Surface free energy and its polar and dispersion component were calculated by Owens-Wendt-Rabel-Kaelble (OWRK) method, using contact angles of water and diiodomethane. On the basis of results of all studied properties, the films can be divided into two groups. The first group is represented by films prepared at temperatures of 140, 160 and 180 °C because there is the evaporation of present solvents. The second group is represented by films prepared at temperatures of 200 and 220 °C because the degradation processes of inorganic-organic components are in progress in films.