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Viscosity Effects of the Precursor Solution and Surface Structure of Gadolinium Oxide (Gd<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) and Gadolinium Oxide Europium Doped (Gd<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>:Eu<sup>3+</sup>) Sol-Gel Films
Department of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, Alabama A & M University, Normal, AL, USA
Department of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, Alabama A & M University, Normal, AL, USA
Department of Food and Animal Sciences, Alabama A & M University, Normal, AL, USA
Department of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, Alabama A & M University, Normal, AL, USA
- 1 Department of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, Alabama A & M University, Normal, AL, USA
- 2 Department of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, Alabama A & M University, Normal, AL, USA
- 3 Department of Food and Animal Sciences, Alabama A & M University, Normal, AL, USA
- 4 Department of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, Alabama A & M University, Normal, AL, USA
Materials Sciences and Applications·Volume 05 (2014)·Pages 1027–1033·Published 3 December 2014·DOI10.4236/msa.2014.514105
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Abstract
The sol-gel method is a novel technique for the preparation of thin films. In this research, gadolinium oxide (Gd 2 O 3 ) and gadolinium oxide europium doped (Gd 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ ) films prepared via the sol-gel and dip coating methods were investigated. In addition to the elaboration on the sol-gel preparation routes and additional observations of the films’ surface morphology as characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), we determined via viscosity measurements that the sols were stable for 398 days. FTIR analysis of the Gd 2 O 3 and Gd 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ dip coated films was made to monitor the decomposition and oxidation reactions that occurred during processing as well as process stability.
KeywordsGadolinium Oxide Thin FilmSol-GelDip CoatingViscositySEMFTIR
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