The effect of substrate roughness on the surface structure of TiO(2), SiO(2), and doped thin films prepared by the sol-gel method.

Pure and calcium-doped silica and titanium dioxide thin films were prepared by the sol-gel method. Two different metallic substrates, i.e. stainless steel (316L) and titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V), were used for thin film deposition. Physicochemical properties and roughness of the thin films derived were investigated using the Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy and Taylor-Hobson's surface analyser. It is suggested that the synthesized coatings display physicochemical and surface properties suitable for materials used for implant.

Thermodynamic studies of bromine-iodine competition in the formation of NaSnXYZ (X, Y, Z, = Br or I) complexes.

The thermodynamic studies of NaSnXYZ (X, Y, Z = Br or I) are presented. The determined theoretical structures and vibrational properties lead to improved experimental values of dissociation enthalpies and entropies. The ab initio thermodynamic data is also reported. The nature of bonding of binary SnXY-NaZ complexes is discussed with the emphasis on differences between bromine and iodine.

Theoretical thermodynamics and the nature of interactions of the quasi-binary NaCl-SnCl(2) system.

The formation of NaSnX(3) (X = halogen) influences the sodium concentration in metal halide lamps making the thermodynamics of such reactions critical for technological developments. Theoretical predictions of the structure and vibrational properties of the quasi-binary NaCl-SnCl(2) system lead to thermodynamical data determined through the third law evaluation. Ab initio enthalpy and entropy of dissociation of NaSnCl(3) also is reported. Additionally, insight into the nature of chemical bonding is provided by electron population analysis and the interaction energy decomposition scheme.

Mass spectrometric and quantum chemical studies of the thermodynamics and bonding of neutral and ionized LnCl, LnCl2, and LnCl3 species (Ln = Ce, Lu).

The mass spectral patterns of CeCl3(g) and LuCl3(g) and appearance energies for the identified ions were measured using a Nier-type mass spectrometer coupled with a Knudsen cell. The molecular ion CeCl3+ was found to be considerably less stable in comparison to LuCl3+. Partial pressures and sublimation enthalpies of LnCl3(s) to monomeric LnCl3(g) and dimeric Ln2Cl6(g) species were obtained in the ranges of 882-1028 (Ln = Ce) and 850-1004 K (Ln = Lu). The contribution of dimeric Ce2Cl6(g) species to equilibrium vapors of CeCl3(s) is considerably smaller than the Lu2Cl6(g) contribution in LuCl3(s) vapors. The measurements were supplemented by quantum chemical ab initio studies of structures, energetics, and vibrational frequencies of neutral and singly ionized LnCl, LnCl2, and LnCl3 species (Ln = Ce, Lu). The theoretical appearance energies of different ions, calculated from the energies of the gaseous species, are in good agreement with experimental data. The fragmentation energies of LnCl, LnCl2, and LnCl3 were also computed and compared with the mass spectral patterns of respective vapor species. The Mulliken and natural bond orbital electron population methods were applied for the systematic analysis of the bonding scheme in molecules and cations.