Long-term aging of Ag/a-C:H:O nanocomposite coatings in air and in aqueous environment |
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Authors: | Martin Drábik Josef Pe?i?ka Hynek Biederman Dirk Hegemann |
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Affiliation: | 1.Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science & Technology, Laboratory for Advanced Fibers, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9014 St.Gallen, Switzerland;2.Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Department of Physics of Materials, Ke Karlovu 5, 121 16 Prague 2, Czech Republic;3.Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Department of Macromolecular Physics, V Holešovičkách 2, 180 00 Prague 8, Czech Republic |
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Abstract: | Nanocomposite coatings of silver particles embedded in a plasma polymer matrix possess interesting properties depending on their microstructure. The film microstructure is affected among others also by the RF power supplied during the deposition, as shown by transmission electron microscopy. The optical properties are characterized by UV–vis–NIR spectroscopy. An anomalous optical absorption peak from the Ag nanoparticles is observed and related to the microstructure of the nanocomposite films. Furthermore, a long-term aging of the coatings is studied in-depth in ambient air and in aqueous environments. It is shown that the studied films are not entirely stable. The deposition conditions and the microstructure of the films affect the processes taking place during their aging in both environments. |
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Keywords: | aging nanocomposites plasma polymerization silver sputtering |
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