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Advanced Properties of Engineering Thin Films and Materials

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Thin Films and Interfaces".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2023) | Viewed by 9781

Special Issue Editor

Department of Organic Materials and Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, Korea
Interests: engineering materials; energy materials; extreme materials; electrical properties; mechanical properties; high-temperature properties; oxidation and corrosion; phase transformation; thermal expansion; meta-stable phases; high-throughput calculations; materials design; artificial intelligence; thin films and materials synthesis; applications

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Engineering thin films and materials refer to the materials used in a variety of applications to withstand applied stress without failure. Since the first discovery of the material, engineering materials have attracted the attention of researchers. In particular, with increasing interest in extreme environmental materials, such as ultra-high and -low temperatures, the characteristics and advanced analysis and synthesis methods are becoming more important issues. Engineering thin films and materials are mainly divided into metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites. This Special Issue covers the experimental and theoretical properties of engineering thin films and materials, as well as methods of synthesizing and analyzing engineering thin films and materials. Advanced properties of engineering thin films and materials include but are not to limited to structural, elastic, mechanical, physical, chemical, thermal, thermodynamic, electrical, and optical properties.

All manuscripts containing properties and methods of materials for engineering applications are welcome in this Special Issue. Based on the information above, this Special Issue invites manuscripts on all types of engineering thin films and materials.

Prof. Dr. Ji-Woong Kim
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • thin films
  • engineering materials
  • electrical properties
  • mechanical properties
  • oxidation and corrosion
  • phase transformation
  • materials design
  • artificial intelligence
  • applications

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 8836 KiB  
Article
Influence of Barrier Layers on ZrCoCe Getter Film Performance
by Xin Shi, Yuhua Xiong and Huating Wu
Materials 2023, 16(7), 2916; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16072916 - 06 Apr 2023
Viewed by 919
Abstract
Improving the vacuum degree inside the vacuum device is vital to the performance and lifespan of the vacuum device. The influence of the Ti and ZrCoCe barrier layers on the performance of ZrCoCe getter films, including sorption performance, anti-vibration performance, and binding force [...] Read more.
Improving the vacuum degree inside the vacuum device is vital to the performance and lifespan of the vacuum device. The influence of the Ti and ZrCoCe barrier layers on the performance of ZrCoCe getter films, including sorption performance, anti-vibration performance, and binding force between the ZrCoCe getter film and the Ge substrate were investigated. In this study, the Ti and ZrCoCe barrier layers were deposited between the ZrCoCe getter films and Ge substrates. The microtopographies of barrier layers and the ZrCoCe getter film were analyzed using scanning electron microscopes. The sorption performance was evaluated using the constant-pressure method. The surface roughness of the barrier layers and the getter films was analyzed via atomic force microscopy. The binding force was measured using a nanoscratch tester. The anti-vibration performance was examined using a vibration test bench. The characterization results revealed that the Ti barrier layer significantly improved the sorption performance of the ZrCoCe getter film. When the barrier material was changed from ZrCoCe to Ti, the initial sorption speed of the ZrCoCe getter film increased from 141 to 176 cm3·s−1·cm−2, and the sorption quantity increased from 223 to 289 Pa·cm3·cm−2 in 2 h. The binding force between the Ge substrate and the ZrCoCe getter film with the Ti barrier layer was 171 mN, whereas that with the ZrCoCe barrier layer was 154 mN. The results showed that the Ti barrier layer significantly enhanced the sorption performance and binding force between the ZrCoCe getter film and the Ge substrate, which improved the internal vacuum level and the stability of the microelectromechanical system vacuum devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Properties of Engineering Thin Films and Materials)
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13 pages, 6981 KiB  
Article
Effect of Microstructural and Tribological Behaviors of Sputtered Titanium Carbide Thin Film on Copper Substrate
by Musibau Olalekan Ogunlana, Mammo Muchie, Oluseyi Philip Oladijo and Mutiu Erinosho
Materials 2023, 16(1), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16010174 - 25 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1183
Abstract
Titanium carbide (TiC) thin films were deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering (RFMS) onto a copper substrate by using Argon (Ar) gas plasma at a gas flow rate of 10.0 sccm. The effect of time and temperature at a constant RF power on [...] Read more.
Titanium carbide (TiC) thin films were deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering (RFMS) onto a copper substrate by using Argon (Ar) gas plasma at a gas flow rate of 10.0 sccm. The effect of time and temperature at a constant RF power on the structural and tribological properties were respectively investigated by atomic force spectroscopy (AFM), X–ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and tribological measurements. All films were tested to have crystal structures with the preferential plane (111) and dominant plane (200) grain orientations. Thus, plane (111) has phase identification of Cu(Cu16Ti)0.23 for some samples, whereas plane (200) has a phase identification of Cu(Cu0.997Ti0.003) and Cu(Cu0.923Ti0.077) for other samples. The lowest thin film roughness of 19.797 nm was observed in the sample, with RF power, sputtering time, and a temperature of 200 W, for two hours and 80 °C, respectively. The FTIR spectra of TiC films formed under different sputtering times (2–3 h) and temperatures (80 °C–100 °C) on Cu substrates at a constant sputtering power of 200 W in the range of 5000–500 cm−1. The peaks at 540 cm−1, 780 cm−1, and 1250 cm−1 are presented in the FTIR spectra and the formation of a Ti–C bond was observed. On the other hand, a sample was revealed to have the lowest wear volume of 5.1 × 10−3 mm3 while another sample was obtained with the highest wear volume of 9.3 × 10−3 mm3. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Properties of Engineering Thin Films and Materials)
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12 pages, 3776 KiB  
Article
Improved Insulation Properties of Polypropylenes in HVDC Cables Using Aqueous Suspension Grafting
by Yiyi Zhang, Keshuo Shi, Chunyan Zang, Wenchang Wei, Chuanhui Xu and Junwei Zha
Materials 2022, 15(18), 6298; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15186298 - 10 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1189
Abstract
Owing to its lack of crosslinking, polypropylene (PP) is considered an environmentally friendly alternative to crosslinked polyethylene as high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable insulation. However, pure PP can accumulate space charges under a HVDC, and thus must be modified for use as an [...] Read more.
Owing to its lack of crosslinking, polypropylene (PP) is considered an environmentally friendly alternative to crosslinked polyethylene as high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable insulation. However, pure PP can accumulate space charges under a HVDC, and thus must be modified for use as an insulating material for HVDC cables. In this study, 4-methylstyrene is grafted onto PP using an aqueous suspension grafting method to improve its properties. The effects of the swelling time, reaction time, and 4-methylphenylene concentration on the reaction were investigated. The optimum process conditions were determined, including an optimum grafting ratio of 0.97%. The volume resistivity, ability to suppress space-charge accumulation, and DC breakdown strength of modified PP were also studied. Modified PP with a grafting ratio of 0.88% showed optimal space-charge suppression and the highest volume resistivity and breakdown strength. The work will facilitate the design and development of more efficient insulation materials for HVDC cables. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Properties of Engineering Thin Films and Materials)
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13 pages, 4208 KiB  
Article
Stoichiometry and Morphology Analysis of Thermally Deposited V2O5−x Thin Films for Si/V2O5−x Heterojunction Solar Cell Applications
by Gwan Seung Jeong, Yoon-Chae Jung, Na Yeon Park, Young-Jin Yu, Jin Hee Lee, Jung Hwa Seo and Jea-Young Choi
Materials 2022, 15(15), 5243; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15155243 - 29 Jul 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1202
Abstract
In recent decades, dopant-free Si-based solar cells with a transition metal oxide layer have gained noticeable research interest as promising candidates for next-generation solar cells with both low manufacturing cost and high power conversion efficiency. Here, we report the effect of the substrate [...] Read more.
In recent decades, dopant-free Si-based solar cells with a transition metal oxide layer have gained noticeable research interest as promising candidates for next-generation solar cells with both low manufacturing cost and high power conversion efficiency. Here, we report the effect of the substrate temperature for the deposition of vanadium oxide (V2O5−x, 0 ≤ X ≤ 5) thin films (TFs) for enhanced Si surface passivation. The effectiveness of SiOx formation at the Si/V2O5−x interface for Si surface passivation was investigated by comparing the results of minority carrier lifetime measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. We successfully demonstrated that the deposition temperature of V2O5−x has a decisive effect on the surface passivation performance. The results confirmed that the aspect ratio of the V2O5−x islands that are initially deposited is a crucial factor to facilitate the transport of oxygen atoms originating from the V2O5−x being deposited to the Si surface. In addition, the stoichiometry of V2O5−x TFs can be notably altered by substrate temperature during deposition. As a result, experimentation with the fabricated Si/V2O5−x heterojunction solar cells confirmed that the power conversion efficiency is the highest at a V2O5−x deposition temperature of 75 °C. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Properties of Engineering Thin Films and Materials)
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18 pages, 5471 KiB  
Article
Corrosion of NiTiDiscs in Different Seawater Environments
by Jelena Pješčić-Šćepanović, Gyöngyi Vastag, Špiro Ivošević, Nataša Kovač and Rebeka Rudolf
Materials 2022, 15(8), 2841; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15082841 - 13 Apr 2022
Viewed by 1292
Abstract
This paper gives an approach to the corrosion resistance analysis and changes in the chemical composition of anNiTi alloy in the shape of a disc, depending on different real seawater environments. The NiTi discs were analysed after 6 months of exposure in real [...] Read more.
This paper gives an approach to the corrosion resistance analysis and changes in the chemical composition of anNiTi alloy in the shape of a disc, depending on different real seawater environments. The NiTi discs were analysed after 6 months of exposure in real seawater environments: the atmosphere, a tidal zone, and seawater. The corrosion tests showed that the highest corrosion rate for the discs is in seawater because this had the highest value of current density, and the initial disc had the most negative potential. Measuring the chemical composition of the discs using inductively coupled plasma and X-ray fluorescence before the experiment and semiquantitative analysis after the experiment showed the chemical composition after 6 months of exposure. Furthermore, the applied principal component analysis and cluster analysis revealed the influence of the different environments on the changes in the chemical composition of the discs. Cluster analysis detected small differences between the similar corrosive influences of the analysed types of environments during the period of exposure. The obtained results confirm that PCA can detect subtle quantitative differences among the corrosive influences of the types of marine environments, although the examined corrosive influences are quite similar. The applied chemometric methods (CA and PCA) are, therefore, sensitive enough to register the existence of slight differences among corrosive environmental influences on the analysed NiTi SMA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Properties of Engineering Thin Films and Materials)
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18 pages, 22175 KiB  
Article
Oxidation Behaviour of Microstructurally Highly Metastable Ag-La Alloy
by Andraž Jug, Mihael Brunčko, Rebeka Rudolf and Ivan Anžel
Materials 2022, 15(6), 2295; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15062295 - 20 Mar 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1259
Abstract
A new silver-based alloy with 2 wt.% of lanthanum (La) was studied as a potential candidate for electric contact material. The alloy was prepared by rapid solidification, performed by the melt spinning technique. Microstructural examination of the rapidly solidified ribbons revealed very fine [...] Read more.
A new silver-based alloy with 2 wt.% of lanthanum (La) was studied as a potential candidate for electric contact material. The alloy was prepared by rapid solidification, performed by the melt spinning technique. Microstructural examination of the rapidly solidified ribbons revealed very fine grains of αAg and intermetallic Ag5La particles, which appear in the volume of the grains, as well as on the grain boundaries. Rapid solidification enabled high microstructural refinement and provided a suitable starting microstructure for the subsequent internal oxidation, resulting in fine submicron-sized La2O3 oxide nanoparticle formation throughout the volume of the silver matrix (αAg). The resulting nanostructured Ag-La2O3 microstructure was characterised by high-resolution FESEM and STEM, both equipped with EDX. High-temperature internal oxidation of the rapidly solidified ribbons essentially changed the microstructure. Mostly homogeneously dispersed nano-sized La2O3 were formed within the grains, as well as on the grain boundaries. Three mechanisms of internal oxidation were identified: (i) the oxidation of La from the solid solution; (ii) partial dissolution of finer Ag5La particles before the internal oxidation front and oxidation of La from the solid solution; and (iii) direct oxidation of coarser Ag5La intermetallic particles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Properties of Engineering Thin Films and Materials)
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15 pages, 25590 KiB  
Article
Corrosion Protection Oxide Scale Formed on Surface of Fe-Ni-M (M = Al, Cr, Cu) Inert Anode for Molten Salt Electrolysis
by Myungjae Kim, Jungshin Kang, Jiwoo Kim and Jiwoong Kim
Materials 2022, 15(3), 719; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15030719 - 18 Jan 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2122
Abstract
An oxide scale formed on the surface of metal anodes is crucial for determining the overall quality of molten salt electrolysis (MSE), particularly for the durability of the anode materials. However, the material properties of oxide scales are yet to be revealed, particularly [...] Read more.
An oxide scale formed on the surface of metal anodes is crucial for determining the overall quality of molten salt electrolysis (MSE), particularly for the durability of the anode materials. However, the material properties of oxide scales are yet to be revealed, particularly in ternary spinel oxide phases. Therefore, we investigate the mechanical and thermal properties of spinel oxides via first-principles calculations. The oxides are calculated using the models of normal (cubic) and inverse (orthorhombic) spinel compounds. The d-orbital exchange correlation potential of transition metal oxides is addressed using the generalized gradient approximation plus Hubbard U. The lattice constant, formation energy, cohesive energy, elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio, universal anisotropy index, hardness, minimal thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion coefficient are calculated. Based on the calculated mechanical and thermal properties of the spinel compound, the Fe–Ni–Al inert anode is expected to be the most suitable oxide scale for MSE applications among the materials investigated in our study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Properties of Engineering Thin Films and Materials)
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