A study of silica films prepared by sol-gel method

The effects of catalysts and temperature on gelling time in the sol-gel process of TEOS(tetraethyl orthosilicate) are studied,and the surface morphology of the silica films prepared on various substrates observed in the article.It was found that catalyst was crucial in preparing a good film,and the temperature could markedly shorten the gelling time.Silica films with network structure were successfully prepared on glass and metal particulates.