Hot-filament metal oxide deposition (HFMOD): a novel method for depositing thin films of metallic oxides

This short report describes a novel method for the synthesis of metal oxide thin films. The experimental setup consists of a metal filament installed inside a vacuum chamber. The filament can be heated by an ac power supply while oxygen is admitted into the chamber using a mass flowmeter. From reactions between oxygen and the heated metal filament, volatile oxide species, Me xOy, where Me is the metal, can be formed, condensing on a nearby substrate. We have observed that thin films of WxOy and Mo xOy can be satisfactorily deposited by this novel method. Although several techniques were used to characterize the oxides, this note emphasizes the results obtained by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS).O presente artigo descreve um novo método para a síntese de filmes finos de óxidos metálicos. Um filamento de metal, que pode ser aquecido por uma fonte de corrente alternada é instalado numa câmara de vácuo. Por meio de um fluxômetro de massa, oxigênio pode ser admitido no interior da câmara. Da reação entre o oxigênio e o metal do filamento aquecido, espécies de óxidos voláteis Me xOy, onde Me é o metal, são formadas, se condensando num substrato colocado próximo ao filamento, formando o filme. Foi observado que os filmes finos de WxOy e Mo xOy podem ser depositados de forma satisfatória por este novo método. Embora várias outras técnicas de análise tenham sido usadas para caracterizar os óxidos, esta nota enfatiza os resultados obtidos por espectroscopia de fotoelétrons de raio-X (XPS).324326Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Li diffusion and electrochromism in amorphous and crystalline vanadium oxide thin film electrodes

Amorphous vanadium oxide films were synthesized onto ITO-coated glass substrates by the hot filament metal oxide deposition technique. The as-deposited samples were heat-treated in an argon atmosphere. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the films treated at 200 and 300 ºC were still amorphous, while those treated at 400 and 500 ºC were crystalline, with a V2O5 structure. All electrodes were electrochemically reversible for Li+ intercalation, exhibiting the electrochromic effect, observed from optical transmittance measurements at 632.8 nm. The Li-diffusion coefficient, DC, was measured by the galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) as function of the inserted charge. For the crystalline films it was observed that the optical absorbance and the DC increase with increasing Li insertion in the single-phase regions of crystalline Li xV2O5 and decrease in the two-phase regions. For the latter, an effective DC was considered. The presence of other vanadium oxides mixed to the V2O5 matrix was inferred for the crystalline films from the chronopotentiometric and DC measurements

Hot-filament metal oxide deposition (HFMOD): a novel method for depositing thin films of metallic oxides

This short report describes a novel method for the synthesis of metal oxide thin films. The experimental setup consists of a metal filament installed inside a vacuum chamber. The filament can be heated by an ac power supply while oxygen is admitted into the chamber using a mass flowmeter. From reactions between oxygen and the heated metal filament, volatile oxide species, Me xOy, where Me is the metal, can be formed, condensing on a nearby substrate. We have observed that thin films of WxOy and Mo xOy can be satisfactorily deposited by this novel method. Although several techniques were used to characterize the oxides, this note emphasizes the results obtained by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS)

Li diffusion and electrochromism in amorphous and crystalline vanadium oxide thin film electrodes

Amorphous vanadium oxide films were synthesized onto ITO-coated glass substrates by the hot filament metal oxide deposition technique. The as-deposited samples were heat-treated in an argon atmosphere. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the films treated at 200 and 300 ºC were still amorphous, while those treated at 400 and 500 ºC were crystalline, with a V2O5 structure. All electrodes were electrochemically reversible for Li+ intercalation, exhibiting the electrochromic effect, observed from optical transmittance measurements at 632.8 nm. The Li-diffusion coefficient, DC, was measured by the galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) as function of the inserted charge. For the crystalline films it was observed that the optical absorbance and the DC increase with increasing Li insertion in the single-phase regions of crystalline Li xV2O5 and decrease in the two-phase regions. For the latter, an effective DC was considered. The presence of other vanadium oxides mixed to the V2O5 matrix was inferred for the crystalline films from the chronopotentiometric and DC measurements.Filmes amorfos de óxido de vanádio foram depositados sobre substratos de vidro recobertos com ITO, pela técnica de deposição de filmes de óxidos metálicos por filamento aquecido. Os espectros de difração de raios-X mostraram que os filmes como-depositados tratados termicamente em atmosfera de argônio em 200 e 300 ºC continuaram amorfos e os tratados a 400 e 500 ºC tornaram-se policristalinos, com a estrutura do V2O5. Os eletrodos foram eletroquimicamente reversíveis sob intercalação de Li+, exibindo o efeito eletrocrômico, observado por medidas da transmitância ótica em 632,8 nm. O coeficiente de difusão do Li, DC, foi medido pela técnica de titulação galvanostática intermitente (GITT) em função da carga inserida. Para os filmes cristalinos, a absorbância ótica e o DC aumentam com a quantidade de Li inserido, nas regiões de fase única de Li xV2O5 cristalino e decrescem nas regiões de duas fases. Para essas, um DC efetivo foi considerado. Nos filmes cristalinos foi inferida a presença de outros óxidos de vanádio misturados à matriz de V2O5, através das medidas de cronopotenciometria e de DC.788794Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Effects of reprocessing on chemical and morphological properties of guide wires used in angioplasty

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of the reprocessing technique of enzymatic bath with ultrasonic cleaning and ethylene oxide sterilization on the chemical properties and morphological structure of polymeric coatings of guide wire for regular guiding catheter. METHODS: These techniques simulated the routine of guide wire reprocessing in many hemodynamic services in Brazil and other countries. Samples from three different manufacturers were verified by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. RESULTS: A single or double sterilization of the catheters with ethylene oxide was not associated with morphological or chemical changes. However, scanning electron microscopy images showed that the washing method was associated with rough morphological changes, including superficial holes and bubbles, in addition to chemical changes of external atomic layers of polymeric coating surfaces, as detected by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy method, which is compatible with extended chemical changes on catheter surfaces. CONCLUSION: The reprocessing of the catheters with ethylene oxide was not associated with morphological or chemical changes, and it seemed appropriate to maintain guide wire coating integrity. However, the method combining chemical cleaning with mechanical vibration resulted in rough anatomical and chemical surface deterioration, suggesting that this reprocessing method should be discouraged