The effects of chemical parameters and topography on the properties of the hybrid sol-gel coatings

Corrosion, fouling and wearing of metal surfaces are the most common problems that can cause a decrease in the use value of metal products and therefore financial losses in the metal industry.For this reason, nanoscale hybrid sol-gel coatings have been developed to protect metal surfaces.The aim of this research was to study the effects of chemical parameters and topography on the properties of the sol-gel coating developed by VTT.The inorganic-organic sol-gel coating was studied as such and as coated on stainless steel and copper substrates.The early-stage sol-gel reactions were examined with ATR-FTIR and with measurements of surface tension of the sol. FTIR and DSC were used to determine thermal curing processes.Topography of the sol-gel coating was studied by using profilometry and coating thickness measurements.In addition, surface properties of the sol-gel coating were examined.The sol-gel chemistry characterizations gave information about the phases of sol-gel reactions.Moreover, the topography measurements indicated changes in surface roughness of the thin film during the ageing process of the sol.On the basis of the important information obtained in this study, the protective properties of sol-gel coatings can be tailored for different purposes