The role and interactions of process parameters on the nature of alkoxide derived sol-gel films

Dip-coated TiO₂ sol-gel films have been used as a representative system to investigate the effects of and interactions between, the principal parameters for the sol-gel process. The studies have been carried out on various aspects of the optical, structural and electrical nature of the films, using the statistical analysis technique, factorial experimental design (FED), where appropriate. The work has identified the existence of highly significant interactions between process parameters such as withdrawal rate, sol concentration and the number of coating layers. Appropriate models are proposed in order to explain the observed effects.