Influence of Pyrogenic Particles on the Micromechanical Behavior of Thin Sol–Gel Layers

Coatings based on sol–gel technology with different types of nanoparticles embedded into the sol–gel matrix were fabricated, and the resulting properties were investigated. Pyrogenic silica nanoparticles were added to the sol before coating. The silica particles varied in primary particle size and agglomerate size, and in their surface modification. The particles were wetted in ethanol and dispersed to certain finenesses. The difference in agglomerate size was partly caused by varying particle types, but also by the dispersing processes that were applied to the particles. The resulting coatings were examined by visual appearance and SEM microscopy. Furthermore, their micromechanical properties were determined by nanoindentation. The results show an important influence from the added nanoparticles and their properties on the visual appearance as well as the micromechanical behavior of the sol–gel coatings. It is shown that, in fact, the particle size distribution can have a major impact on the coating properties as well as the surface modification.