Effect of poly(acrylic acid) on the preparation of thick silica films by electrophoretic sol gel deposition of re-dispersed silica particles

Thick silica films were prepared by the electrophoretic sol-gel deposition technique in the presence of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) using monodispersed silica particles; the particles were prepared by the sol-gel method, pre-heat treated and then re-dispersed in the mixture of H2O and ethanol. The weight of deposited silica films was maximized when 0.2 mass% of PAA against the whole amount of sol was added. The particles constructing the thick silica films were packed densely when the amount of added PAA was less than 0.2 mass%. The weight of the film increased with decrease in the content of H2O in the sol when a fixed amount of PAA was added. After the heat treatment of deposited films at 800 degrees C, crack-free silica films of about 30 mu m thickness were prepared. (C) 1998 Chapman & Hall.