A New Hermetic Sealing Ceramic Material Derived at Low Temperature from a Sol Gel

新墨西哥大学的研究人员发现了一种低密度、异常低表面积的溶胶-凝胶法提取的氧化铝-硅酸盐成分。这一发展表明，这种材料作为密封涂层应用于不能耐受高温致密传统薄膜的一系列应用中。对于特定的工程应用，必须对运输(即密封)特性进行量化。其结果将是对这种材料的工艺-微结构-传输特性的理解。现有的真空系统将进行改装，以进行渗透研究。不同厚度的铝硅酸盐薄膜将通过各种技术浇注、热处理和测量扩散性能。涂层的微观结构特征将与扩散性能相关联。将进行作为溶胶-凝胶工艺条件的函数的扩散特性的迭代研究。

Researchers at the University of New Mexico have discovered a low density, anomalously low surface area, sol-gel derived alumina-silicate composition. The development suggests application of this material as a hermetic coating in a range of applications that cannot tolerate the high temperatures required to densify conventional films. The transport (i.e., hermetic) properties must be quantified for specific engineering applications. The result will be an understanding of the process-microstructure-transport properties of this material. An existing vacuum system will be modified for permeation studies. Aluminasilicate films of various thicknesses will be cast by various techniques, thermally treated, and diffusion properties measured. Microstructural characteristics of the coating will be correlated with diffusion properties. Iterative studies of diffusion properties as a function of sol-gel processing conditions will be conducted.