Controlled preparation and characterization of multilayer sol-gel zirconia dip-coatings

Abstract

We describe a method for controlled preparation of sol-gel ceramic multilayer coatings obtained by dip-coating. The proposed fabrication routine guarantees obtaining crack-free multilayer coatings with control of the thickness and porosity of individual layers. The procedure is applied to obtain a 10-layer ZrO2–3 mol% Y2O3 coating deposited on AISI 310 stainless steel. The microstructure of this coating was investigated by using x-ray powder diffractometry and atomic force microscopy, and special consideration was given to the mechanical characterization of this thin film using ultramicrohardness indentation tests. Our results suggest that these zirconia coatings have good properties for use as protection barriers. Implications concerning general tailoring design of sol-gel dip-coatings are also considered.