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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
There is increasing interest in the use of sol-gel derived films in tribological applications, and this necessitates an understanding of the mechanical properties of these films. Few investigations into the mechanical properties of sol-gel films have been undertaken, and in this study we have concentrated on measurement of the elastic modulus of sol-gel derived titania films as a preliminary stage in a full investigation of stress in sol-gel deposited thin films. Sol-gel films are often very thin and in order to understand the influence of the substrate on the measured elastic modulus, we have used a multiple coating technique to deposit titania films of increasing thickness on various substrates. A three point bending apparatus is used to measure the elastic modulus. The three-point bending apparatus has very low load and displacement measuring capabilities as is required for the very thin sol-gel films. Measurements of the compositional uniformity of the films have been performed using RBS, and this has been combined with film thickness measurements to determine the film porosity. This information ensures that the measured properties relate to intrinsic film properties. The results of all these measurements will be presented.