We have fabricated high quality sol-gel derived silicate and aluminoborosilicate thin films deposited on silicon substrates. From capacitance vs voltage measurements we observe low interface trap densities (<10H/cm2eV) and very low densities of slow interface state (<101~ 2) in most films investigated. We have been able to make significant improvements over previous sol-gel derived oxides on si...

Dimer formation in sol-gel matrices was studied using optical absorption spectroscopy of copper phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate dopants in silicate and aluminosilicate sol-gel matrices. Changes in the optical absorption spectra of dimers and monomers were correlated with various stages of the sol-gel process. Dimerization is strongly influenced by the chemistry of the pore liquid. The primary fac...

An all-aqueous sol-gel method for encapsulation of bacterial cells in porous silicate matrices towards the development of a biosensor is described. The sol-gel encapsulation of cells is achieved at room temperature and neutral pH. Furthermore, use of sodium silicate as precursor avoids generation of alcohol that can be detrimental to cells in contrast to the traditional alkoxide sol-gel encapsu...

Platinum nanoparticle-doped sol-gel solution is prepared and used as a binder for multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) for the fabrication of electrochemical sensors. Amine group containing sol-gel solution is selected to utilize the affinity of -NH(2) groups toward metal nanoparticles for stabilization the nanoparticles in solution. The resulting CNT-silicate material brings new capabilities fo...

A class of sensing elements based on the encapsulation of genetically engineered bioluminescent Escherichia coli (E. coli) reporter strains in sol–gel derived silicates is described. We demonstrate the concept by the immobilization of these bacterial cells in thick silicate films. Heat shock, oxidative stress, fatty acids, peroxides, and genotoxicity reporting bacteria were incorporated in the ...

This article presents results of a study on coating of a polymeric substrate catalyst on metallic surface. Stability of coating on metallic surfaces is a proper specification. Sol-gel technology was used to synthesize adhesion promoters of polysilane compounds that act as a mediator. The intermediate layer was coated by synthesized sulfonated polystyrene-divinylbenzene as a catalyst for product...

The sol–gel technique is a highly flexible technique for fabrication of oxide glasses, and various researchers have previously reported fluorescence studies of Er-doped sol–gel films and monoliths. Here we report the fabrication of Er-doped strip-loaded sol–gel silicate waveguides, using a silica–titania–alumina host composition, and Er concentrations up to f1.1=10 Er rcm, for possible applicat...

Porous silica materials made by low-temperature sol-gel process are promising host matrixes for encapsulation of biomolecules. To date, researchers have focused on sol-gel routes using alkoxides such as tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) for encapsulation of biomolecules. These routes lead to formation of alcohol as a byproduct that can have a detrimental effec...

Current materials used for bone regeneration are usually bioactive ceramics or glasses. Although they bond to bone, they are brittle. There is a need for new materials that can combine bioactivity with toughness and controlled biodegradation. Sol-gel hybrids have the potential to do this through their nanoscale interpenetrating networks (IPN) of inorganic and organic components. Poly(γ-glutamic...