Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Porous thin films considered for applications like separation, sensing and microelectronic have to sustain mechanical stresses during their integration process or in working conditions. Thanks to recent progress in processing methods, it is now possible to precisely control the porosity and combine ordered mesopores with randomly-distributed macropores to achieve hierarchically porous materials. The mechanical properties of thin films containing different types of porosity (ordered meso, random macro and hierarchical) have been investigated by means of nanoindentation. In particular a method recently proposed by Li and Vlassak (H. Li, J.J. Vlassak, Journal of Materials Research 24 (2009) 1114-1126) is applied to account for the substrate effect. Residual indent impressions were imaged by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to provide some insights in the mechanical behavior of the films. In addition, experimental indentation moduli are compared to theoretical predictions obtained via Finite Element (FE) analysis. The different porous structures have been modeled by FE to obtain the effective elastic properties from which the indentation modulus can be inferred. Finally, the experimental-model differences are discussed. © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
ISSN: 1387-1811

hal-01683194
https://hal.univ-antilles.fr/hal-01683194
DOI : 10.1016/j.micromeso.2010.09.004

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD EDP Sciences
Résumé : International audience
Understanding mechanisms in DSSCs is fundamental for their improvement; this includes the nanocrystalline semiconducting layer behaviour. Different mesoporous TiO2 layers are fabricated and analyzed for possible use in DSSC solar cells. The preparations included the addition of P123 triblock copolymer as structuring agent to the synthesized anatase sol. This preparation was also mixed with Degussa P25 TiO2 nanoparticles in one case and polystyrene latex in another. Mesoporous mixed TiO2-SiO2 thin layers were also analyzed. The diverse morphologies and features are studied by microscopic techniques and by means of spectral quantum efficiency of a photoelectrochemical cell (PEC) that uses as photoelectrode the unsensitized porous TiO2 layer. Contact angle measurements are also performed. We have found that a very high specific area due to very small nanocrystals and small pores can hinder electrolyte penetration in the pores formed by TiO2 nanograins, affecting photoelectrodes efficiency. © EDP Sciences, 2015.
ISSN: 1286-0042

hal-01683213
https://hal.univ-antilles.fr/hal-01683213
DOI : 10.1051/epjap/2015150221

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Royal Society of Chemistry
Résumé : International audience
A versatile sol-gel route has been developed for the preparation of hierarchical porous silica membrane material with highly dispersed platinum nanoparticles (Pt-NPs). The outstanding feature of the "one pot" synthesis developed in this work lies in the successful preparation of a stable complex suspension made of silica sol, multi-scale porogens and Pt nanoparticles. The multi-scale porogens were based on non-ionic triblock copolymers and aqueous latex suspension to create mesopores and macropores, respectively, with finely tuned pore size and organization. For further functionalization of the membranes, Pt nanoparticles of about 4 nm in diameter were prepared by irradiating with microwaves (MW) the Pt precursors added in the starting suspension. This original path is suggested to enable a pre-organization of Pt nanoparticles in the ordered mesoporous structure. The suspensions were then deposited as thin films on either dense or macroporous supports, and further thermally treated at 450°C to remove the porogen units. Hierarchical porous layers composed of micropores (<2 nm), ordered mesopores (∼4 nm) and macropores (∼70 nm) with or without Pt were prepared and characterized. The resulting membranes are foreseen to exhibit great potential as multifunctional membranes for gas separation coupled with catalytic reaction. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2008.
ISSN: 0959-9428

hal-01680586
https://hal.univ-antilles.fr/hal-01680586
DOI : 10.1039/b807029f