Fundamentals of sol-gel dip coating

Abstract During sol-gel thin film formation via dipping, polymeric or particulate inorganic precursors are concentrated on the substrate surface by a complex process involving gravitational draining with concurrent drying and continued condensation reactions. The structure of films deposited from polymeric precursors depends on such factors as size and structure of the precursors, relative rates of condensation and evaporation, capillary pressure, and substrate withdrawal speed. Using polymeric silicate precursors, the porosity and refractive index of the deposited films may be varied as follows: volume percent porosity (0%–56%); pore radius (0–3.1 nm); surface area (1.2–263 m 2 g -1 ); refractive index (1.18–1.45). For repulsive, monosized particulate precursors, higher coating rates promote ordering of the particles as manifested by a reduction in porosity from 36% (random dense packing) to about 25% (f.c.c. or h.c.p.).