Physicochemical and Morphological Properties of Hybrid Films Containing Silver-Based Silica Materials Deposited on Glass Substrates

Violeta Purcar,Mihai Anastasescu,Cristina Firincă,Valentin Rădiţoiu,Alina Rădițoiu,Raluca Şomoghi,Georgiana Cornelia Ispas,Mariana Constantin,Monica Popa,Florentina Monica Raduly,Simona Căprărescu

doi:10.3390/coatings12020242

Abstract

The main goal of this study was to present a facile and inexpensive approach for the preparation of hybrid coatings by the deposition under ambient air conditions of silver-based silica materials on glass substrates, which can be used to improve solar cells’ performance. The silica materials containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized by the hydrolytic condensation of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), triethoxymethylsilane (MTES), and trimethoxyhexadecylsilane (HDTMES), under acidic conditions, at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C). The silver nitrate solution (AgNO3, 0.1 wt. %) was used as a source of Ag+ ions. The final samples were investigated through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy–Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR–ATR), Transmission Electron Microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X–ray (TEM–EDX), UV–Vis spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and Raman Spectroscopy (RS). The TEM images confirmed the formation of AgNPs and were found to be around 3 nm. It was observed that AgNPs were embedded in the silica matrix. EDX also confirmed the presence of the resulting AgNPs within the silica material. AFM images demonstrated that the morphology of the hybrid films’ surfaces can be changed as a function of sol–gel composition. RS analysis indicated that silanol groups were significantly present on the silver-based silica film surface. The UV–Vis spectra revealed that the hybrid coatings presented a reflectance of ~8%, at 550 nm. This study will enhance the value of nanocoating technology in optoelectronics, particularly in the development of nanostructures that improve the performance in thin-film solar cells.

Highlights

Silver-based nanomaterials have received considerable interest because of their potential for applications, such as catalysis, sensing, food packaging, water purification, and antimicrobial coatings [1,2,3]
The FTIR–ATR analysis was monitored to investigate the structure of silica materials Coatings 2022, 11, x FOR PEER REVIE(Wwithout AgNPs and with AgNPs), as shown in F6iogfu16re 2
We described the preparation of hybrid coatings based on silver-based silica materials through the sol–gel method, under acidic conditions

Summary

Introduction

Silver-based nanomaterials have received considerable interest because of their potential for applications, such as catalysis, sensing, food packaging, water purification, and antimicrobial coatings [1,2,3]. Hybrid silica composite layers on different substrates, in order to achieve coatings with different thicknesses or densities, have been realized through techniques such as deepcoating, spin-coating, plasma spraying, the vapor phase technique, vacuum deposition, and pulsed laser deposition [11,12]. These techniques have some drawbacks, such as high evaporation temperature, high process cost, potential poor bonding of the coating, and the requirement of external energy

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