Low-Pressure Microwave Plasma Reduction of Iron and Copper Salt Compounds at Low Temperatures for Oxidation State Alteration and Functional Applications

The influence of plasma-reduction treatment on iron and copper compounds at different oxidation states was investigated in this study. For this purpose, reduction experiments were carried out with artificially generated patina on metal sheets and with metal salt crystals of iron(II) sulfate (FeSO<...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mirco Weber, Anna Scheglov, Wiebke Dörries, Johann Benedikt Meyer, Wolfgang Viöl
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-04-01
Series:Materials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/8/3221
_version_ 1797604554068459520
author Mirco Weber
Anna Scheglov
Wiebke Dörries
Johann Benedikt Meyer
Wolfgang Viöl
author_facet Mirco Weber
Anna Scheglov
Wiebke Dörries
Johann Benedikt Meyer
Wolfgang Viöl
author_sort Mirco Weber
collection DOAJ
description The influence of plasma-reduction treatment on iron and copper compounds at different oxidation states was investigated in this study. For this purpose, reduction experiments were carried out with artificially generated patina on metal sheets and with metal salt crystals of iron(II) sulfate (FeSO<sub>4</sub>), iron(III) chloride (FeCl<sub>3</sub>), and copper(II) chloride (CuCl<sub>2</sub>), as well as with the metal salt thin films of these compounds. All the experiments were carried out under cold low-pressure microwave plasma conditions; the main focus was on plasma reduction at a low pressure in order to evaluate an implementable process in a parylene-coating device. Usually, plasma is used within the parylene-coating process as a supporting tool for adhesion improvement and micro-cleaning efforts. This article offers another useful application for implementing plasma treatment as a reactive medium in order to apply different functionalities by an alteration in the oxidation state. The effect of microwave plasmas on metal surfaces and metal composite materials has been widely studied. In contrast, this work deals with metal salt surfaces generated from a solution and the influence of microwave plasma on metal chlorides and sulfates. While the plasma reduction of metal compounds commonly succeeds with hydrogen-containing plasmas at high temperatures, this study shows a new reduction process that reduces iron salts at temperatures between 30 and 50 °C. A novelty of this study is the alteration in the redox state of the base and noble metal materials within a parylene-coating device with the help of an implemented microwave generator. Another novelty of this study is treating metal salt thin layers for reduction purposes in order to provide the opportunity to include subsequent coating experiments to create parylene metal multilayers. Another new aspect of this study is the adapted reduction process of thin metal salt layers consisting of either noble or base metals, with an air plasma pre-treatment prior to the hydrogen-containing plasma-reduction procedure.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T04:47:56Z
format Article
id doaj.art-bcd9f8001d644d10ba14111fda876427
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1996-1944
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T04:47:56Z
publishDate 2023-04-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Materials
spelling doaj.art-bcd9f8001d644d10ba14111fda8764272023-11-17T20:14:55ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442023-04-01168322110.3390/ma16083221Low-Pressure Microwave Plasma Reduction of Iron and Copper Salt Compounds at Low Temperatures for Oxidation State Alteration and Functional ApplicationsMirco Weber0Anna Scheglov1Wiebke Dörries2Johann Benedikt Meyer3Wolfgang Viöl4Faculty of Engineering and Health, HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Von-Ossietzky-Straße 98/100, 37085 Göttingen, GermanyFaculty of Engineering and Health, HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Von-Ossietzky-Straße 98/100, 37085 Göttingen, GermanyFaculty of Engineering and Health, HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Von-Ossietzky-Straße 98/100, 37085 Göttingen, GermanyInstitute of Inorganic Chemistry, Georg August University of Göttingen, Tammannstraße 4, 37077 Göttingen, GermanyFaculty of Engineering and Health, HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Von-Ossietzky-Straße 98/100, 37085 Göttingen, GermanyThe influence of plasma-reduction treatment on iron and copper compounds at different oxidation states was investigated in this study. For this purpose, reduction experiments were carried out with artificially generated patina on metal sheets and with metal salt crystals of iron(II) sulfate (FeSO<sub>4</sub>), iron(III) chloride (FeCl<sub>3</sub>), and copper(II) chloride (CuCl<sub>2</sub>), as well as with the metal salt thin films of these compounds. All the experiments were carried out under cold low-pressure microwave plasma conditions; the main focus was on plasma reduction at a low pressure in order to evaluate an implementable process in a parylene-coating device. Usually, plasma is used within the parylene-coating process as a supporting tool for adhesion improvement and micro-cleaning efforts. This article offers another useful application for implementing plasma treatment as a reactive medium in order to apply different functionalities by an alteration in the oxidation state. The effect of microwave plasmas on metal surfaces and metal composite materials has been widely studied. In contrast, this work deals with metal salt surfaces generated from a solution and the influence of microwave plasma on metal chlorides and sulfates. While the plasma reduction of metal compounds commonly succeeds with hydrogen-containing plasmas at high temperatures, this study shows a new reduction process that reduces iron salts at temperatures between 30 and 50 °C. A novelty of this study is the alteration in the redox state of the base and noble metal materials within a parylene-coating device with the help of an implemented microwave generator. Another novelty of this study is treating metal salt thin layers for reduction purposes in order to provide the opportunity to include subsequent coating experiments to create parylene metal multilayers. Another new aspect of this study is the adapted reduction process of thin metal salt layers consisting of either noble or base metals, with an air plasma pre-treatment prior to the hydrogen-containing plasma-reduction procedure.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/8/3221microwave plasmalow-pressure plasma reduction inclusionmetal salt filmsreduction strategy
spellingShingle Mirco Weber
Anna Scheglov
Wiebke Dörries
Johann Benedikt Meyer
Wolfgang Viöl
Low-Pressure Microwave Plasma Reduction of Iron and Copper Salt Compounds at Low Temperatures for Oxidation State Alteration and Functional Applications
Materials
microwave plasma
low-pressure plasma reduction inclusion
metal salt films
reduction strategy
title Low-Pressure Microwave Plasma Reduction of Iron and Copper Salt Compounds at Low Temperatures for Oxidation State Alteration and Functional Applications
title_full Low-Pressure Microwave Plasma Reduction of Iron and Copper Salt Compounds at Low Temperatures for Oxidation State Alteration and Functional Applications
title_fullStr Low-Pressure Microwave Plasma Reduction of Iron and Copper Salt Compounds at Low Temperatures for Oxidation State Alteration and Functional Applications
title_full_unstemmed Low-Pressure Microwave Plasma Reduction of Iron and Copper Salt Compounds at Low Temperatures for Oxidation State Alteration and Functional Applications
title_short Low-Pressure Microwave Plasma Reduction of Iron and Copper Salt Compounds at Low Temperatures for Oxidation State Alteration and Functional Applications
title_sort low pressure microwave plasma reduction of iron and copper salt compounds at low temperatures for oxidation state alteration and functional applications
topic microwave plasma
low-pressure plasma reduction inclusion
metal salt films
reduction strategy
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/8/3221
work_keys_str_mv AT mircoweber lowpressuremicrowaveplasmareductionofironandcoppersaltcompoundsatlowtemperaturesforoxidationstatealterationandfunctionalapplications
AT annascheglov lowpressuremicrowaveplasmareductionofironandcoppersaltcompoundsatlowtemperaturesforoxidationstatealterationandfunctionalapplications
AT wiebkedorries lowpressuremicrowaveplasmareductionofironandcoppersaltcompoundsatlowtemperaturesforoxidationstatealterationandfunctionalapplications
AT johannbenediktmeyer lowpressuremicrowaveplasmareductionofironandcoppersaltcompoundsatlowtemperaturesforoxidationstatealterationandfunctionalapplications
AT wolfgangviol lowpressuremicrowaveplasmareductionofironandcoppersaltcompoundsatlowtemperaturesforoxidationstatealterationandfunctionalapplications