Sol-Gel Derived Single Layer Zeolite-MgF2 Composite Antireflective Coatings with Improved Mechanical Properties on Polycarbonate

Authors

  • R. Subasri Centre for Sol-Gel Coatings, International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Balapur, Hyderabad 500 005, Andhra Pradesh, India
  • S. Pavithra Centre for Sol-Gel Coatings, International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Balapur, Hyderabad 500 005, Andhra Pradesh, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/2369-3355.2014.01.01.2

Keywords:

Sol-gel Process, Zeolite-MgF2, Antireflective coatings, Mechanical properties, Optical properties

Abstract

Single layer antireflective coatings with good optical and mechanical properties are difficult to be obtained on temperature sensitive substrates like plastics. This challenge has been taken up in the present study. Single layer MgF2 and for the first time, zeolite 4Å and zeolite 4Å - MgF2 composite antireflective coatings were generated by a wet chemical route on flat polycarbonate sheets and characterized for their reflectance, surface roughness, thickness, porosity, surface morphology and scratch hardness by haze measurement. Autoclaving and boiling water treatment under microwave irradiation were used in case of MgF2 sols and zeolite/zeolite-MgF2 coatings respectively. Pure MgF2 coatings deposited after autoclaving of the MgF2 sol yielded a low refractive index of 1.28 and an average reflectance of 1.9% vis-à-vis 9.7% reflectance for an uncoated polycarbonate substrate over the wavelength range of 400-1100 nm. Single layer zeolite coatings after a brief treatment in boiling water under microwave irradiation yielded a reflectance of 5.1%. A composite zeolite-MgF2 coating exhibited a reflectance of 2.8% and the percentage change in haze after crockmeter testing in case of the composite coating was lower than that of a pure MgF2 coating. This implied that the composite layer had improved mechanical properties combined with good optical properties and could be suitable for practical applications.

References

Chen D. Anti-reflection (AR). Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells 2001; 68: 313-36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0927-0248(00)00365-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0927-0248(00)00365-2

Raut HK, Ganesh VA, Nair AS, Ramakrishna S. Anti-reflective coatings. Energy Environ Sci 2011; 4: 3779-804. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c1ee01297e DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c1ee01297e

Attia SM, Wang J, Wu G, Shen J, J Ma. Review on Sol-Gel. J Mater Sci Technol 2002; 18: 211-8.

Bautista MC, Morales A. Silica antireflective films. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells 2003; 80: 217-25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2003.06.004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2003.06.004

Nostell P, Roos A, Karlsson B. Optical and mechanical. Thin Solid Films 1999; 351: 170-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0040-6090(99)00257-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-6090(99)00257-6

Rao KN. Studies on thin film. Bull Mater Sci 2003; 26: 239-45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02707798 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02707798

Yang H, Park G. A Study. Trans Electr Electron Mater 2010; 11: 33-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.4313/TEEM.2010.11.1.033 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/TEEM.2010.11.1.033

Bass JD, Boissiere C, Nicole L, Grosso D, Sanchez C. Thermally Induced. Chem Mater 2008; 20: 5550-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/cm8010106 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/cm8010106

Ishizawa H, Niisaka S, Murata T, Tanaka A. Preparation of MgF2-SiO2. Appl Opt 2008; 47: C200-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/AO.47.00C200 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.47.00C200

Chen C, Li S, Chiang AST, Wu AT, Sun YS. Scratch-resistant. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells 2011; 95: 1694 -00. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2011.01.032 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2011.01.032

Murata T, Ishizawa H, Motoyama I, Tanaka A. Investigations of MgF2. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 2004; 32: 161-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10971-004-5782-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-004-5782-8

Chiang AST. Aligned Zeolite. Mater Chem 2007; 46-8.

Downloads

Published

2014-06-24

How to Cite

Subasri, R., & Pavithra, S. (2014). Sol-Gel Derived Single Layer Zeolite-MgF2 Composite Antireflective Coatings with Improved Mechanical Properties on Polycarbonate. Journal of Coating Science and Technology, 1(1), 8–16. https://doi.org/10.6000/2369-3355.2014.01.01.2

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2014)

Section

Articles

License

Policy for Journals/Articles with Open Access

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  • Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

  • Authors are permitted and encouraged to post links to their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work

Policy for Journals / Manuscript with Paid Access

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  • Publisher retain copyright .

  • Authors are permitted and encouraged to post links to their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work .
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC