Papers by Author: J. Muñoz-Saldaña

Abstract: In this work, we present a modification of the sol-gel based, Stöber, Fink and Bohn’s (SBF) procedure for the preparation of nanometric spheres of silica with a monomodal distribution of size and controlled diameter. In the SBF method, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) is used as a precursor molecule and hydrolysis and condensation reactions to form chains and branches of Si-O bonds are carried out. The novelty of this work consists in the use of an aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution as ammonia source. Graphics of particle size as a function of reagent contents are presented (reaction yield control) and differences to the results from the original SBF method are discussed. This procedure is the very first step for the development of a sol-gel synthetic opals preparation process. As a result, the best route to prepare monodisperse spheres in the whole range of 250 to 850 nm is that of keeping constant the TEOS and NH3 contents at 0.28:1M varying water contents in the range of 8 – 12.5 M.

Abstract: TiSiN coatings have been prepared by reactive DC magnetron co-sputtering on Corning glass and carbon steel substrates, using Ti-Si targets, with a constant Si:Ti area ratio of 0.2. The flow rate of nitrogen has been varied from 1.6 to 7.0 sccm, for a fixed argon flow rate of 25.0 sccm. We present a study of structure (texture, crystallite size and microstrain), chemical composition, and mechanical properties of the coatings and their dependence on the argon/nitrogen ratio. Moreover, a study of the thermal stability of the coatings has been performed by means of thermal annealing under oxidizing conditions (air atmosphere) at 500 and 600 °C. Coatings with the smallest crystallite size (∼2 nm) present the highest hardness (26 GPa) and the best thermal stability.