Film Surface Research Articles

Ultra-sensitive liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sensor based on monometallic Ag nanospheres synthesized via microwave-assisted facile approach

We present the synthesis, analysis, and utility of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) stabilized monometallic silver nanospheres for liquefied petroleum gas sensing at room temperature. We have synthesised silver nanospheres (Ag-NSs) in the diameter range of 13–21 nm using a microwave assisted method, which is both easy and fast, because microwave irradiation only takes 30 s. A solution of 0.1 M silver nitrate (AgNO3) in an ethanolic medium was microwave-irradiated to produce Ag-NSs. PVP was used as a stabilising agent throughout the process. Spin coating method was used to produce thin films of synthesised monometallic Ag-NSs. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), acoustic particle sizer (APS), UV–visible absorption (UV–visible) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy were used for characterising Ag-NSs. Based on the acoustic attenuation of the prepared sample, the acoustic particle sizer estimated the diameter of Ag-NSs to be around 17 nm. The deposited films were examined for LPG leakage detection at ambient temperature. This is the first report on monometallic Ag-NSs for leakage detection of LPG at room temperature operation below its lower explosive limit (LEL). The significant finding of the developed sensor is that it prompts the quick response (∼16 s) and recovery (∼64 s) as Ag enhances the reaction rate between the sensing film surface and adsorbed LPG, thereby, augments the sensitivity of sensor even below LEL. Moreover, the fabricated LPG sensor shows noteworthy reproducibility (measured up to six cycles) and stability up to 06 months after fabrication.

Zinc oxide-based sensor prepared by modified sol–gel route for detection of low concentrations of ethanol, methanol, acetone, and formaldehyde

Abstract We4 4 We received the acceptance date as 26 September 2024. Could you please update it to reflect this exact date for our project, instead of 1 October 2024? This is very important for our project funding. successfully synthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles using the sol–gel method, followed by their application onto alumina substrates for sensor testing. Comprehensive characterization of the nanomaterials was carried out utilizing XRD, SEM, TEM, UV–VIS-IR, and Photoluminescence (PL) techniques. The nanoparticles displayed a hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure, typical of ZnO. UV–Vis-IR spectroscopy revealed significant absorption in the UV region, with the band gap energy calculated to be 3.22 eV. PL spectra indicated the presence of various defects, such as oxygen vacancies and zinc interstitials, within the ZnO structure. SEM analysis of the deposited film surface showed spherical agglomerates, confirming the nanoscale dimensions, while energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy spectra affirmed the high purity of the ZnO films, rich in Zn and O elements. Sensor tests demonstrated the ZnO sensor’s high sensitivity to low concentrations of volatile organic compounds such as ethanol, formaldehyde, methanol, and acetone. Notably, at an operational temperature of 300 °C, the sensor exhibited a remarkable response to 5 ppm of each gas, with the following response and response/recovery times: for methanol, 11.47 and 36 s/57 s; for acetone, 11.54 and 25 s/52 s; for formaldehyde, 0.79 and 53 s/58 s; and for ethanol, 3.88 and 9 s/59 s.

High external quantum efficiency photodetector based on Ga2O3/CH3NH3PbI3

In this paper, Ga2O3/CH3NH3PbI3 photodetector (PD) with high external quantum efficiency (EQE) was successfully prepared by spin coating CH3NH3PbI3 on the film surface of Ga2O3/Au MSM PD. Compared with Ga2O3 film device, the dark current of heterojunction device decreased from 5.20 to 0.09nA, and the responsivity increased from 0.18 to 14.01 A/W at 40 V bias. It is worth noting that under the same bias voltage (40 V), the EQE of Ga2O3/CH3NH3PbI3 PD is as high as 6686 %, which is 78 times of Ga2O3/Au PD (85.89 %). The high EQE is attributed to collision ionization doubling caused by the effect of an applied electric field. In addition, the construction of heterojunction speeds up the response speed of PD. This work has important implications for the selection of heterogeneous materials and the construction of PDs to optimize device performance.

Measurement and Analysis of Surface Temperature Gradients on Magnetron Sputtered Thin Film Growth Studied Using NiCr/NiSi Thin Film Thermocouples.

In the general analysis of thin-film growth processes, it is often assumed that the temperature of the film growth surface is the same as the temperature of the film growth substrate. However, a temperature gradient exists between the film growth surface and film growth substrate. Using the growth surface of TiO2 thin films as an example, the temperature gradient of the film growth surface is tested and analyzed. A NiCr/NiSi thin-film thermocouple is fabricated using the direct-current pulse magnetron sputtering method. A three-layer NiCr/NiSi thin-film thermocouple temperature measurement system is established to measure the temperature gradient of the film growth surface. The growth surface temperature and substrate temperature of the TiO2 thin films are measured. For a sputtering power density of 0.83W cm- 2, the temperature difference between the first and second layers is 104.79°C, while the temperature difference between the second and third layers is 39.92°C. A standard K-type thermocouple is used to measure the substrate temperature, which is recorded to be 132.05°C, consistent with common measurements of substrate temperature. The heat conduction on the film growth surface in the vacuum chamber is examined and a model for the temperature measurement device during film growth is constructed.

Transforming Agro-Industrial Waste into Bioplastic Coating Films.

Addressing the environmental impact of agro-industrial waste, this study explores the transformation of banana, potato, and orange peels into bioplastics suitable for thin coating films. We prepared six extracts at 100 g/L, encompassing individual (banana peel, BP; orange peel, OP; and potato peel, PP) and combined [BP/OP, BP/PP, and BP/OP/PP] formulations, with yeast mold (YM) medium serving as the control. Utilizing the spin-coating method, we applied 1 mL of each sample at 1000 rpm for 1 min to create the films. Notably, the OP extract demonstrated a twofold increase in bioplastic yield (860.33 mg/L) compared to the yields of BP (391.43 mg/L), PP (357.67 mg/L), BP/OP (469.40 mg/L), BP/PP (382.50 mg/L), BP/OP/PP (272.67 mg/L), and YM (416.33 mg/L) extracts. Atomic force microscopy analysis of the film surfaces revealed a roughness under 8 nm, with the OP extract recording the highest at 7.0275 nm, whereas the BP/OP mixture exhibited the lowest roughness at 0.2067 nm and also formed the thinnest film at 6.5 nm. With R2 trend values exceeding 0.9950, the films exhibited water vapor permeability values ranging from 3.05 × 10-3 to 4.44 × 10-3, with the OP film being the least permeable and the BP/PP films the most permeable. The OP film demonstrated the lowest solubility in both water and ethanol with values of 64.71 and 1.05%, respectively. The solubilities of all films were above 60% in water and below 4% in ethanol. Furthermore, the films exhibited antimicrobial efficacy against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Our findings confirm the potential of utilizing banana, orange, and potato peels as viable substrates for eco-friendly bioplastics in thin-film applications.

An Eco-Friendly Passivation Strategy of Resveratrol for Highly Efficient and Antioxidative Perovskite Solar Cells.

The stability of perovskite solar cells is closely related to the defects in perovskite crystals, and a large number of crystal defects are caused by the solution method. In this study, resveratrol (RES), a green natural antioxidant abundant in knotweed and grape leaves, is introduced into perovskite films to passivate the defect. RES achieves defect passivation by interacting with uncoordinated Pb2+ in perovskite films. The defect formation energy of VPb and PbI on the surface of perovskite thin films is increased by RES doping, as calculated by density functional theory. The results show that the quality of the perovskite film is significantly improved, and the energy level structure of the device is optimized, and the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the device is increased from 21.62% to 23.44%. RES can hinder the degradation of perovskite structures by O2 - free radicals, and the device retained 88% of its initial PCE after over 1000 h in pure oxygen environment. The device retains 91% of the initial PCE after >1000 h at 25°C and 50 ± 5% relative humidity. This work provides an idea for the use of natural and environmentally friendly additives to improve the efficiency and stability of devices.

Combined local flap placement and negative-pressure wound therapy for the management of critical peritracheostomal pharyngocutaneous fistula

ObjectivePeritracheostomal pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF), a direct connection between the PCF and tracheal stoma due to a skin defect, is among the most problematic complications after total laryngectomy or pharyngolaryngectomy. Peritracheostomal PCFs can cause lethal complications, including severe pneumonia or carotid blowout, secondary to salivary leakage directly into the tracheal stoma, and their management is challenging without early invasive surgical closure. We aimed to evaluate the utility of our novel and minimally invasive combined local skin flap placement and negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) method for the management and conservative closure of peritracheostomal PCFs. MethodsWe retrospectively enrolled patients who developed a peritracheostomal PCF from July 2015 to September 2021 at our institution and affiliated hospitals. Postoperative PCFs were all initially managed with appropriate wound bed preparation. Subsequently, a small local flap of healthy, lower neck skin was elevated and transferred anterior to the PCF to replace the peritracheostomal skin defect. The flap served to provide a sufficient surface for film dressing attachment and facilitated airtight sealing during NPWT. We initiated NPWT after confirming the local skin flap was firmly sutured to the tracheal mucosa. A flexible hydrocolloid dressing was applied to the peritracheostomal skin flap, and a film dressing was placed on the flexible hydrocolloid dressing and surrounding cervical skin. We inserted the NPWT foam shallowly into the fistula tract and applied negative pressure (73.5–125 mmHg). NPWT was continued until the PCF was closed or became so small that salivary leakage was minimal and could be managed by conventional compression dressings. ResultsWe enrolled six patients [male, n = 6; mean age, 66.5 years (range, 57–80 years)]. NPWT was applied for an average of 18.2 days (range, 2–28 days). During NPWT, air leakage occurred once (2 cases), only a few times (2 cases), or not at all (2 cases). In all patients, complete fistula closure was achieved in an average of 28.2 days (range, 15–55 days) after the start of NPWT, and no patient required further surgical intervention. There were no lethal complications (e.g., severe pneumonia) during treatment. ConclusionOur method of combined local flap placement and NPWT enabled effective management of salivary aspiration and accelerated wound healing, which allowed conservative fistula closure in all patients. We believe combined local flap placement and NPWT should be considered a first-line treatment for intractable peritracheostomal PCF.

Small scale model for predicting transportation-induced particle formation in biotherapeutics

Understanding protein adsorption and aggregation at the air-liquid interfaces of protein solutions is an important open challenge in biopharmaceutical, medical, and biotechnological applications, among others. Proteins, being amphiphilic, adsorb at the surface, partially unfold, and form a viscoelastic film through non-covalent interactions. Mechanical agitation of the surface can break this film up, releasing insoluble protein particles into the solution. These aggregates are usually highly undesirable and even toxic in cases, such as for biopharmaceutical application. Therefore, it is imperative to be able to predict the behavior of such solutions undergoing surface agitation during handling, usually transport or mixing. We apply the findings on the viscoelastic protein film, formed at the air-liquid interface, to the prediction of surface mediated aggregation in selected protein solutions of direct biopharmaceutical relevance. Our broad study of Brewster angle microscopy and aggregation monitoring across multiple size ranges by micro-flow imaging, light scattering, and size exclusion chromatography shows that formation of protein particles is driven by the adsorption rate as compared to the rate of surface turnover and that surface film dynamics in the quiescent phase directly affect aggregation. We demonstrate how these learnings can be directly applied to the design of a novel small scale biopharmaceutical stability study, simulating relevant transport conditions. More generally, we show the impact of adsorption dynamics at the air-liquid interface on the stability of a distinct protein solution, as a general contribution to understanding different colloidal and biological interfacial systems.

Water vapor responsiveness of chitosan: An experimental and simulation analysis.

Stimuli-responsive polymers have gained significant research interest in recent years owing to their potential applications in diverse areas. Here, we present a study on the actuation characteristics of chitosan-based free-standing films that exhibit full reversibility and repeatability in response to water vapor exposure. The effect of pH of the water and the degree of cross-linking of the chitosan films on the actuation performance is studied. In the case of free-standing polymer film-based actuators, the primary driving force behind actuation is understood to be the differential strain induced by the gradient in volume changes across the thickness of the film. To understand it further, we conducted full atomistic molecular dynamics simulation studies to explore water absorption and adsorption into the chitosan matrix. Our simulations revealed an accumulation of water molecules in the surface layer that rapidly desorb when shielded from water vapor. Furthermore, estimates of the energy gain resulting from the adsorption of water on the surface suggest that it is adequate to drive the shape change of the actuator when subjected to asymmetric exposure to water vapor. This finding supports the fact that the adsorbed layer of water on the surface of the chitosan film plays a role in actuation.

Investigation of the microstructural, surface, and optical properties of WO3-doped ZnO thin films

The paper investigates the microstructural characteristics, surface features, and optical properties of WO3-doped ZnO thin film. The deposited samples exhibit polycrystalline characteristics, with reflections corresponding to bimetal oxides and metals. Specifically, ZnO shows (101) and (200) reflections, while (400) reflections are observed in the WO3 phase of the deposited sample. The crystallite sizes of the ZnO metal oxide phase in the film are 85 nm and 55 nm, while the crystallite size of the Zn nanoparticles is found to be 47 nm. The atomic concentrations of W and Zn are 53.4 % and 46.6 % for films deposited on uncoated glass, and 41.2 % and 58.8 %, for films deposited onto ITO-coated glass, respectively. An optical band gap value of 3.40 eV was obtained for both films. It was found that certain properties remain relatively unchanged despite variations in the substrate.

Surface Regulation via Carboxylate Polymer for Efficient and Stable CsPbI2Br Perovskite Solar Cells.

CsPbI2Br perovskite solar cell (PSC) is a promising candidate for high-efficiency single-junction and tandem solar cells. However, due to the numerous surface defects of the CsPbI2Br film and the mismatch of energy levels at the CsPbI2Br/charge transport layer interface, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of CsPbI2Br PSC is still significantly lower than the theoretical limits. To alleviate those issues, in this work, a carboxylate-based p-type polymer, TTC-Cl, is employed to modify the surface of CsPbI2Br layer. TTC-Cl can interact with uncoordinated Pb2+, thereby mitigating surficial defects of CsPbI2Br film and reducing non-radiative recombination losses. Furthermore, TTC-Cl also improves the band properties of the CsPbI2Br thin film surface, rendering it more p-type, which facilitates hole transport. Consequently, the CsPbI2Br PSCs with TTC-Cl modification achieve a remarkable PCE of 17.81%, which is notably higher than that of counterpart without TTC-Cl (15.87%). Moreover, CsPbI2Br PSCs with TTC-Cl modification also exhibit better stability. This work highlights the importance of surface regulation via carboxylate polymer for further enhancing the performance of CsPbI2Br PSCs.

Investigation on the biaxial stretching deformation mechanism of PA6 film based on finite element method

Abstract This study employed the finite element method to investigate the biaxial stretching deformation mechanism of polyamide 6 (PA6) Film. First, the PA6 film was subjected to biaxial stretching experiments under various conditions. Then, a three-dimensional finite element model of PA6 film was established. The biaxial stretching experiments of PA6 films under various conditions were simulated by the established finite element model. The results show that the biaxial stretching of the films under various conditions exhibited a transition from elastic deformation to plastic deformation. Meanwhile, as the stretching ratio increases, the more uniform stress and strain distribution on the film surface can be found in the stress and strain contour diagrams. The stress and strain distributions were found to be largely consistent under various annealing temperatures. However, lower stretching rates resulted in higher internal stress intensity, making the films more resistant to biaxial stretching. The findings of this study provide a theoretical reference for a deeper understanding of the deformation mechanisms of PA6 films during the biaxial stretching process.

Constructing dilute Mg-1.0In binary alloy: A pathway to enhanced anode performance in Mg-air battery

Magnesium anode is a critical material in Mg-air battery; however, the contradiction between mitigating self-corrosion and promoting activation poses a significant obstacle to the rapid advancement of primary magnesium batteries. Herein, this issue is addressed by constructing a dilute Mg-1.0In binary alloy with 1 wt% indium as the anode material. The equiaxed dendrites and moderate indium concentration gradient in the as-cast anode facilitate the formation of a protective surface film, leading to a low corrosion rate of 0.20 mm y−1 and enhancing the stability prior to discharge. Moreover, during the battery discharge process, this unique microstructure enables the redeposition of metallic indium and indium hydroxide, thereby dramatically accelerating the shedding of oxidation products and suppressing side hydrogen evolution reaction. The Mg-1.0In anode in a Mg-air battery delivers a discharge capacity of 1587 mA h g−1 and an average voltage of 1.46 V at 10 mA cm−2, outperforming most of previously reported magnesium anodes and the control samples with various indium contents. This work would inspire the achievement of superior Mg-air battery performance through the use of binary magnesium anode system in as-cast state, as opposed to a more complex and time-consuming multi-component anode design involving heat treatment and plastic deformation.

Optimized substrate temperature for high-quality CdZnTe epitaxial film in X-ray flat panel detectors

Cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe or CZT) materials, favored for their physical superiority in optoelectronic applications, can be efficiently produced as large-area epitaxial film via close space sublimation (CSS), enhancing potential in flat-panel detector imaging. However, the application of CdZnTe epitaxial film in medical imaging equipment is limited by their lower resistivity, prolonged response times, and diminished sensitivity. By elevating the substrate temperature, we enhanced the number and depth of reverse sublimation pits on the surface of the CdZnTe epitaxial film, established an approximately 100 nm Zn-rich layer, broadened the bandwidth, and minimized electrode injection. Additionally, we observed an aggregation of dislocations at the edges of the reverse sublimation pits, which promoted surface recombination and reduced leakage current. These modifications significantly increased the film's resistivity to 1011 Ω cm. Further, they notably decreased the rise and drop times to 2 m s and 4 m s, respectively. Integrated with thin-film transistors (TFTs), the optimized CdZnTe epitaxial film now distinctly differentiate between air, plastics, and metals under X-ray examination. This improved performance of X-ray flat panel detectors (FPDs) based on CdZnTe epitaxial film is promising for the development of next-generation X-ray detection systems.

Efficient and stable perovskite solar cells based on multi-active sites 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol modified interface

The highest certification efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has reached 26.7 %. However, the high defect density on the surface of perovskite films prepared by low temperature solution method and the energy mismatch between the carrier transport layers and perovskite layer (PVK) greatly limit the performance improvement of PSCs. The introduction of passivating agent to modify the perovskite interface and grain boundary can reduce the defect density, coordinate the energy level effectively, and improve the efficiency and stability of devices. A Lewis base molecule 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol (AMTD) with multiple active sites is introduced at the interface between PVK and hole transport layer (HTL). The electron-rich groups, such as = S, –S–, –NH2, –N on AMTD, passivate the positive electrical defects on the interface and grain boundary, and increase carrier transport efficiency. The interfacial energy level array is optimized to achieve more efficient charge transportation. In addition, the modified of AMTD has a significant protective effect on the perovskite, which inhibit the moisture erosion of in environment. Consequently, the AMTD-optimized device achieves a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.13 %, compared to the efficiency of 21.62 % for pristine device. The stability of the devices is improved greatly.

Molecularly tailored bifunctional nano-overlayers for efficient and stable inverted perovskite solar cells

Triple cation perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have made remarkable progress in power conversion efficiency (PCE), which is also related to the interface regulation layers between the active layer and electron transport layer (ETL). The ionic nature of the perovskite lattice has enabled approaches to passivate molecular defects through the interaction of functional groups. Herein, a passivator OXD-7 is introduced as a modified layer to passivate surface defects and accelerate electron transfer. It has been observed that OXD-7 can alleviate the micro-strain of the perovskite thin films through intermolecular bonding, which suppresses the iodide vacancy on the perovskite surface. Additionally, the OXD-7 reduces the surface energy of the perovskite films and inhibits the formation of δ-FAPbI3 on the surface of perovskite film. Consequently, the resulting devices demonstrate improved fill factor and device stability. Under optimal fabrication conditions, triple cation mixed perovskite solar cells with an inverted structure achieve a PCE of 23.83%.

Antimicrobial effects of pulsed light activated TiO2-Polylactic acid film

A study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of TiO2 incorporated polylactic acid (PLA) films, activated by pulsed light (PL). TiO2-PLA films with 0, 0.5, 5, 10, and 20 % TiO2/PLA ratio were developed by the solvent casting method. Populations of Escherichia coli and Listeria on film surfaces were determined after the films were PL-treated in three ways: PL treatment on the inoculated film surface; PL treatment from the reverse side of the inoculated film surface; PL treatment before the inoculation on the film surface. A 5 s PL treatment reduced E. coli populations on PLA film from 6.2 to 2.5 log CFU/cm2 and on TiO2-PLA film from 6.2 to 1.1 log CFU/cm2, indicating the combined antibacterial effect of PL and TiO2. Light-activated TiO2-PLA films maintained antibacterial activity against E. coli and L. innocua for 2 h after the 5 s PL treatment, as the activated TiO2-PLA films were still able to reduce bacterial populations by up to 2.5 log CFU/cm2. These findings suggest that pre-activated TiO2-PLA films have potential for packaging foods that are sensitive to UV light.

Characterization of exopolysaccharide/potato starch nanocomposite films loading g-C3N4 and Ag and their potential applications in food packaging

The interest in nanocomposite films incorporating edible ingredients and active nanoparticles has surged due to their potential to enhance food quality and prolong shelf-life. This research focused on developing innovative exopolysaccharides (EPS)/potato starch (PS) nanocomposite films integrated with g-C3N4 and AgNO3. Extensive analysis was conducted to assess the microstructure, physical attributes and antimicrobial properties of these films. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis revealed electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions within the film components. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) data indicated a high level of compatibility among EPS, PS, g-C3N4, and AgNO3, with no new absorption peaks or characteristic signals of C3N4 and Ag appearing in the nanocomposite films patterns. The thickness, water solubility and water vapor permeability (WVP) of the EPS-PS-C3N4-Ag nanocomposite film increased due to the addition of g-C3N4, reached 0.31 ± 0.03 nm, 36.61 ± 1.76 % and 1.42 ± 0.34 × 10−10 g−1 s−1 Pa−1, respectively. While transparency, swelling degree, and oxygen permeability (OP) significantly decreased, reached 26.18 ± 2.38 %, 63.01 ± 2.51 % and 41.98 ± 1.28 %, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) images depicted an augmented roughness and porosity on the film surface upon integration of g-C3N4 and AgNO3. Moreover, the EPS-PS-C3N4-Ag nanocomposite film displayed enhanced mechanical strength due to the presence of g-C3N4. The melting temperature (Tm) of EPS-PS-C3N4-Ag nanocomposite film was 313.3 °C, the removal rates of DPPH and ABTS was 66.11 ± 2.87 % and 45.09 ± 1.23 % respectively. Significant inhibition of microbial growth was observed in film containing g-C3N4 and AgNO3, which demonstrated no toxicity towards NIH-33 cells, suggesting their potential application as promising active packaging material for food preservation.

Cathodic arc deposited tetrahedral amorphous carbon as thin film contact pressure sensing material

Tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) film was deposited using the filtered pulsed cathodic arc deposition method. The ta-C structures deposited on high velocity oxygen fuel thermally sprayed steel beam substrates were investigated for piezoresistive properties under direct contact pressing. A load of up to 1.4 GPa was applied with point contact, with no detrimental influence on the material. The linear response for the strain applied homogeneously on the whole film surface and on the local portion of the film surface under a cylindrical contact was observed. A high gauge factor of the measured system of 305 was measured, showing the potential of the material as a good candidate for sensing applications on direct contact measurement devices.

The evolution of morphology and structure in spin-coated Zinc Acetate thin films and their impact on ZnO film morphology

The deposition of ZnO thin films using sol-gel technology is a straight forward and widely used method for fabricating ZnO films with diverse morphologies and tunable electrical and optical properties. Notably, the preparation of ZnO compact layers from a zinc acetate and monoethanolamine (ZA:MEA) solution via spin-coating has gained popularity due to its simplicity. The pretreatment of spin-coated ZA:MEA films significantly impacts the morphology and structure of the resulting ZnO films. While the effects of preheating and its rate on ZnO precursor films have been extensively studied, the morphological and structural evolution of ZA:MEA films immediately after spin-coating and its subsequent impact on the final ZnO film have not been previously explored. In this study, we present the topography and phase composition of as-grown ZA:MEA films using atomic force microscopy (AFM). We conduct an in-situ investigation of the morphological evolution of ZA:MEA films. Our results reveal that as-grown ZA:MEA films possess an inhomogeneous structure. AFM phase image shows two distinct domains in the ZA:MEA films. Over time, we observe the growth of crystals in both vertical and perpendicular directions. ZA:MEA film aged for at least 20 hours develops arrays of vertically oriented crystals throughout the film covered with sheet-like crystals forming on the film surface. This temporal evolution in the morphology and structure of ZA:MEA films significantly influences the morphology of the final ZnO film.