Optical Hydrogen Sensing Properties of e-Beam WO Films Decorated with Gold Nanoparticles.

Tungsten oxide thin films with different thicknesses, crystallinity and morphology were synthesized by e-beam deposition followed by thermal treatment and acid boiling. The films with different surface morphologies were coated with gold nanoparticles and tested as optical sensing materials towards hydrogen. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, ellipsometry and UV-VIS spectroscopy were employed to characterize the structural, morphological and optical properties of the film.

Optimization of Hybrid Sol-Gel Coating for Dropwise Condensation of Pure Steam.

We developed hybrid organic-inorganic sol-gel silica coatings with good durability in harsh environment (high temperatures, high vapor velocities) and with slightly hydrophobic behavior, sufficient to promote dropwise condensation (DWC) of pure steam. DWC is a very promising mechanism in new trends of thermal management and power generation systems to enhance the heat transfer during condensation as compared to film-wise condensation (FWC). The sol-gel coatings have been prepared from methyl triethoxy silane (MTES) and tetraethyl-orthosilicate (TEOS) and deposited on an aluminum substrate.