Electrical and piezoresistive properties of DLC with conductive nanoparticles for applications as a sensor material in strain gauges in space structures

• Grant number: 20/12450-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: December 01, 2020
• End date: November 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Vladimir Jesus Trava-Airoldi
• Grantee: Rebeca Falcão Borja de Oliveira Correia
• Supervisor: Ralf Bandorf
• Host Institution: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Germany
• Associated to the scholarship: 17/08899-3 - DLC films in multilayer with electric conductive nanoparticles for spatial and industrial applications, BP.DD

Abstract

Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) films have been extensively applied as a coating in different fields due to their excellent mechanical, chemical and tribological properties. The incorporation of metals in a-C:H films can significantly enhance these properties, expanding their applications as a sensor material in strain gauges. The film with metals (a:C-H:Me) can change the DLC electrical properties and ensure a low temperature dependence. Therefore, in this work a:C-H:Me film will be growth via two different systems. The first system will be used in Brazil via a Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) modified with an additional cathode. In this case, metallic nanoparticles dispersed in a colloidal solution will be incorporated in the growth chamber via a controlled pulsed valve. The second system will be used at Fraunhofer institute via a combined PECVD/Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) system using a target as a metal source in an Ar/C2H2 atmosphere. The film obtained from both processes will be characterized in order to apply as a sensor material in strain gauges for application in space structures. Therefore, the films piezoresistive properties will be studied, such as gauge factor and temperature coefficient of resistance; to obtain a high strain sensitivity and a low temperature dependence. Besides, other films properties will also be analyzed, such as chemical composition, morphology, thickness, resistivity, structural quality and compressive stress. (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)

CORREIA, REBECA F. B. DE O.; SAMPAIO, ALINE G.; MILHAN, NOALA V. M.; CAPOTE, ARIEL; GERDES, HOLGER; LACHMANN, KRISTINA; TRAVA-AIROLDI, VLADIMIR J.; KOGA-ITO, CRISTIANE YUMI; BANDORF, RALF. Zn:DLC films via PECVD-HIPIMS: Evaluation of antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity to mammalian cells. JOURNAL OF VACUUM SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY A, v. 41, n. 3, p. 17-pg., 2023-05-01. (19/25652-7, 12/15857-1, 17/08899-3, 20/12450-4, 21/00046-7)