Confined-Plume Chemical Deposition: Rapid Synthesis of Crystalline Coatings of Known Hard or Superhard Materials on Inorganic or Organic Supports by Resonant IR Decomposition of Molecular Precursors

• Published in: Journal of the American Chemical Society Vol. 131; no. 33; pp. 11744 - 11750
• Main Authors: Ivanov, Borislav L, Wellons, Matthew S, Lukehart, Charles M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 26.08.2009
• ISSN: 0002-7863; 1520-5126
• DOI: 10.1021/ja901570s

A one-step process for preparing microcrystalline coatings of known superhard, very hard, or ultraincompressible ceramic compositions on either inorganic or organic supports is reported. Midinfrared pulsed-laser irradiation of preceramic chemical precursors layered between IR-transmissive hard/soft supports under temporal and spatial confinement at a laser wavelength resonant with a precursor vibrational band gives one-step deposition of crystalline ceramic coatings without incurring noticeable collateral thermal damage to the support material. Reaction plume formation at the precursor/laser beam interface initiates confined-plume, chemical deposition (CPCD) of crystalline ceramic product. Continuous ceramic coatings are produced by rastering the laser beam over a sample specimen. CPCD processing of the Re−B single-source precursor, (B3H8)Re(CO)4, the dual-source mixtures, Ru3(CO)12/B10H14 or W(CO)6/B10H14, and the boron/carbon single-source precursor, o-B10C2H12, confined between Si wafer or NaCl plates gives microcrystalline deposits of ReB2, RuB2, WB4, or B4C, respectively. CPCD processing of Kevlar fabric wetted by (B3H8)Re(CO)4 produces an oriented, microcrystalline coating of ReB2 on the Kevlar fabric without incurring noticeable thermal damage of the polymer support. Similarly, microcrystalline coatings of ReB2 can be formed on IR-transmissive IR2, Teflon, or Ultralene polymer films.