Tungsten oxide (WO{sub 3}) thin films for application in advanced energy systems
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968 (United States)
Inherent processes in coal gasification plants produce hazardous hydrogen sulfide (H{sub 2}S), which must be continuously and efficiently detected and removed before the fuel is used for power generation. An attempt has been made in this work to fabricate tungsten oxide (WO{sub 3}) thin films by radio-frequency reactive magnetron-sputter deposition. The impetus being the use of WO{sub 3} films for H{sub 2}S sensors in coal gasification plants. The effect of growth temperature, which is varied in the range of 30-500 deg. C, on the growth and microstructure of WO{sub 3} thin films is investigated. Characterizations made using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) indicate that the effect of temperature is significant on the microstructure of WO{sub 3} films. XRD and SEM results indicate that the WO{sub 3} films grown at room temperature are amorphous, whereas films grown at higher temperatures are nanocrystalline. The average grain-size increases with increasing temperature. WO{sub 3} films exhibit smooth morphology at growth temperatures {<=}300 deg. C while relatively rough at >300 deg. C. The analyses indicate that the nanocrystalline WO{sub 3} films grown at 100-300 deg. C could be the potential candidates for H{sub 2}S sensor development for application in coal gasification systems.
- OSTI ID:
- 22053739
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Vol. 28, Issue 4; Other Information: (c) 2010 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1553-1813
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
COAL GASIFICATION
COAL GASIFICATION PLANTS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
GRAIN SIZE
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
MAGNETRONS
MORPHOLOGY
NANOSTRUCTURES
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SPUTTERING
SURFACE COATING
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
THIN FILMS
TUNGSTEN OXIDES
X-RAY DIFFRACTION