From Structural Colors to Super-Hydrophobicity and Achromatic Transparent Protective Coatings: Ion Plating Plasma Assisted TiO₂ and SiO₂ Nano-Film Deposition

Abstract

The implementation of the Ion Plating Plasma Assisted technology in the area of surface functionalization for structural color and relic preservation applications is presented. Interferometric structural colors on irregular bumped Titanium surfaces and transparent and achromatic nano films on ancient ceramic artifact have been investigated. Titanium metal and ceramic supports have been utilized for the surface functionalization tests: A metallic electron beam additive manufactured Titanium component and an ancient tile of the XIX century, which was characterized by strong chromatic valence and by a mixed porous and glazed surfaces, have been considered. A reactive magnetron sputtering Ion Plating Plasma Assisted apparatus operating in Argon or Oxygen atmospheres for TiO₂ and SiO₂ deposition has been utilized. Preliminary tests with two plasma treatments were carried out for optimal processing conditions definition. TiO₂ nano-film deposition on irregular Ti surfaces has generated light direction depending color-changing surfaces while good achromatic and transparent coatings were obtained by using SiO₂ coating. The high processing flexibility of the Ion plating technology is discussed. The SiO₂ IPPA surfaces treatment resulted more convenient for restorative and preservation ancient historical tile was used to finally test the optimized process with Ion Beam Electron Microscopy, which was carried out on the tile porous structure, confirmed the high flexibility and efficiency of the innovative IPPA technology.