Wettability features of nano-oxides: the tailoring of the attachment modes of siloxane

The modulation of surface properties represents a hot topic in several fields, from biomaterials to photovoltaics, from chemical sensors to microelectronics[1]. Siloxanes have been extensively used to obtain oxide materials with tailored surface properties[2,3]. Although these materials are widely studied, less is known about the attachment mode of these molecules at the oxide surfaces. Here, we evaluate how different oxides and surfaces, both commercial and laboratory made, influence the interaction between molecules and solids. Films are obtained from different procedures, such as spin-coating of sol-gel nanoparticles or deposition of smooth films by stable sol. These are characterized by TGA, FT-IR, dynamic contact angle, SEM, AFM and HRTEM. Both smooth and rough films are used as substrates for the chemical vapor deposition of different siloxanes. The composite layers are characterized by AFM, FT-IR, and dynamic contact angle with different solvents. Moreover, the interaction between siloxane molecules and the oxide surface is studied by means of CP/MAS NMR, showing the peculiarity of the attachment mode of the siloxane molecules in the different cases.