Light-Controlled ZrO2 Surface Hydrophilicity

Abstract

In recent years many works are aimed at finding a method of controllable switching between hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of a surface. The hydrophilic surface state is generally determined by its energy. Change in the surface energy can be realized in several different ways. Here we report the ability to control the surface wettability of zirconium dioxide nano-coatings by changing the composition of actinic light. Such unique photoinduced hydrophilic behavior of ZrO2 surface is ascribed to the formation of different active surface states under photoexcitation in intrinsic and extrinsic ZrO2 absorption regions. The sequential effect of different actinic lights on the surface hydrophilicity of zirconia is found to be repeatable and reversibly switchable from a highly hydrophilic state to a more hydrophobic state. The observed light-controllable reversible and reproducible switching of hydrophilicity opens new possible ways for the application of ZrO2 based materials.

Influence of Post-UV/Ozone Treatment of Ultrasonic-Sprayed Zirconium Oxide Dielectric Films for a Low-Temperature Oxide Thin Film Transistor

“…It is undoubtedly true that the UVO irradiation induces the presence of more OH-groups on the surface of the ZrOx film due to the simultaneous conversion between the Zr-O-Zr and Zr-OH groups, thereby increasing the hydrophilicity of the ZrOx film. A similar observation that supports this hypothesis was reported for ZrOx thin films grown by dip-coating [33]; however, for ZrOx dielectric films deposited by both sputtering [34] and electrochemical methods [35], a hydrophobic property was indicated. Gromyko The wettability of the ZrO x dielectric surface was studied by measuring the water contact angle (CA), although the XRD pattern of the films indicated an amorphous structure (figure not shown).…”

Colorimetric Detection of Perfluorinated Compounds by All-Polymer Photonic Transducers

“…For this reason, the reflectance intensity (and not absolute reflectivity) can be slightly higher than 100%. Contact angles have been measured by a Theta Lite optical tensiometer by Biolin Scientific 36 using the sessile drop technique. 37…”

Tunable, reversible resistive switching behavior of PVA-zirconia nanocomposite films and validation of the trap-assisted switching mechanism by the selective application of external bias voltages

“…Other FTIR peaks at 1562 cm À1 , 1418 cm À1 , 1327 cm À1 , 1238 cm À1 , 1141 cm À1 , 917 cm À1 , and 836 cm À1 with the corresponding vibration modes were reported in the literature. 31,33,34 The enlarged FTIR spectra of the PZ4 composite film in the 400-760 cm À1 range (inset of Fig. 5(a)) provide additional confirmation for the multiphase, i.e., tetragonal and monoclinic mixture of ZrO 2 nanoparticles.…”