Mechanical properties of hybrid sol-gel coatings with TiO2 nano-fillers

Ormosils are organic-inorganic hybrid materials synthesized through sol-gel method in which the organic component is chemically bonded to inorganic matrix to form a network structure. Functionalities of sol-gel derived Ormosil coatings are numerous, ranging from corrosion resistance, scratch resistance and electrical insulation applications, etc. Properties of Ormosils are governed by many factors, including organic constituent types and contents, processing conditions and so on. Incorporation of nanoparticles also has a dramatic influence on coatings’ mechanical properties. These mechanical properties of coatings with and without nanofillers are evaluated, compared and discussed in this paper. Results of these mechanical tests revealed that hardness, Young’s modulus, critical energy release rate as well as fracture toughness generally increased with raising nanoparticle weight percentages. Adhesion and maximum pull-off strengths were also found to be enhanced with the addition of fillers.Bachelor of Engineering (Materials Engineering