Red mud application for deposition of plasma films

• Grant number: 13/06210-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2013
• Effective date (End): May 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Physics of Fluids, Plasma Physics and Electrical Discharge
• Principal Investigator: Elidiane Cipriano Rangel da Cruz
• Grantee: Vivian Farias de Lima
• Host Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus Experimental de Sorocaba. Sorocaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In this work the possibility of using an industrial residue, the red mud, for production of thin films, high aggregated value materials will be investigated. The utilization of the red mud is justified by its abundance all over the word and by the necessity of decreasing its disposal in the environment. However, the main reason is based on the favorable composition of this compound to produce protective coatings. For that, it is proposed an innovative methodology based on the sputtering of the red mud powder in argon low pressure plasmas. According to this methodology, the red mud powder will be spread on the lower electrode of a capacitively coupled plasma system. The substrates for film deposition will be attached on the uppermost electrode and argon, a massive element, will be fed in the system. The plasma will be then established by the application of high frequency electrical signal to the electrode containing the red mud. The upper electrode, also employed as sample holder, and the reactor walls will be grounded, concentrating the plasma between the electrodes. The sputtering of the red mud constituents will provide precursors for film formation. Properly adjusting the plasma process parameters will favor the sputtering of some elements then enabling the control of the chemical composition and the properties of the films. In this sense, this project aims to deposit alumina containing films, an abundant compound in the red mud, and mainly to determine the effect of the plasma process parameters (pressure and excitation power) on the properties of the films. This will allow the control of the coatings properties, fact of great importance as one considers specific practical applications. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PEREIRA ANTUNES, MARIA LUCIA; DA CRUZ, NILSON CRISTINO; DELGADO, ADRIANA DE OLIVEIRA; DURRANT, STEVEN FREDERICK; RIBEIRO BORTOLETO, JOSE ROBERTO; LIMA, VIVIAN FARIA; SANTANA, PERICLES LOPES; CASELI, LUCIANO; RANGEL, ELIDIANE CIPRIANO. Feasibility of RF Sputtering and PIIID for Production of Thin Films from Red Mud. MATERIALS RESEARCH-IBERO-AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MATERIALS, v. 17, n. 5, p. 1316-1323, SEP-OCT 2014. (13/06210-7, 12/14708-2)