Paper SE+PS-ThM1
Core/Shell Particles using a Plasma-based Reactors

Thursday, October 24, 2019, 8:00 am, Room A215

Nano-size and micro-size manufacturing have found an invaluable tool in plasma-assisted materials deposition techniques. Primarily, plasma-assisted physical vapor deposition (PAPVD) methods are clean, reliable and flexible to develop films and coatings. Materials produced by PAPVD may lead to stable structures and stoichiometries that are not possible on other processes. On the other hand, core/shell systems have dragged high attention due to their unique properties. These structures exhibit high surface area, and the interfacial interaction between the core and the shell leads to complex chemistries and transfer phenomena. This work presents an innovative approach to synthesize shells for existing particles using sputtering equipment. It demonstrates the challenges for the direct implementation of magnetron sputtering to obtain single and double shells on glass microspheres. First, a simple flat sample stage was used to discuss the prominent structural and conformability imperfections due to shadowing effects on 3D cores. To overcome this limitation, a new sample stage to manipulate the core particles under vacuum for more uniform shell formation was designed. As proof of concept, various metals and metal oxide shells over glass micro-size spheres were obtained. Extensive materials characterization of the newly formed structures was performed. The results are the groundwork for a myriad of technological applications.