Anna Szczurek

Flexible glass photonics is a cutting-edge technological and scientific research field that, thanks to a very broad spectrum of applications, has tremendously grown during the last decade and is now a strategic topic. Here, we present the results of the spectral transmittance and reflectance of a 10-layer SiO2/TiO2 1D photonic crystal deposited on...

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the most widely used polymeric substrates for flexible photonic applications. Like all polymers, its usage is limited by the modest environmental and temperature resistance. In this work, the optical properties deterioration of PET substrate, in the form of 175 μm thick film, is discussed and the strategy...

We present the results of the spectral transmittance and reflectance of a SiO2/TiO2 1D photonic crystal deposited by Radio Frequency sputtering on a flexible polymeric substrate, which shows a blue-shift in its transmittance stopband proportional to the incidence angle when bent. An adjustable sample holder was designed to regulate the bending and...

Thin films have a crucial role in integrated optics. The development of passive and active devices such as splitters, waveguides, multiplexers and optical amplifiers is by now established on rigid substrates. Therefore, an important further step to improve this kind of technologies and open the route to new applications is to extend these functiona...

The study investigated the effect of aging time on the protective properties of submicron thickness sol-gel coatings. Coatings were based on zirconia and silica modified with fluoroalkyl substituents that were deposited on P265GH steel and were aged for 3 years. The corrosion tests were carried out in sodium chloride solution and liquid caprolactam...

Zirconium dioxide ceramic coatings were applied to the surface of 316L steel using the sol-gel method. The coated samples were heated at 300 °C or 500 °C. The task of the coatings was to increase the bioactivity and corrosion resistance of 316L steel in the SBF (simulated body fluid) environment. Examination of the chemical composition (EDS, Raman...

Flexible SiO2/HfO2 1D photonic crystals and active SiO2–HfO2:Er³⁺ all-glass flexible planar waveguides fabricated by radio frequency sputtering, are presented. The 1D photonic crystals show a strong dependence of the optical features on the light incident angle: i) blue-shift of the stopband and ii) narrowing of the reflectance window. Nevertheless...

This paper presents the results of a study of polyurethane rigid (PUR) elastomers in terms of the constitutive law identification, and analyses the effect of polyurethane elastomers’ hardness on fatigue properties. The research objects were PUR materials based on 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) with the hardness of 80 ShA and 90 ShA, typica...

Photonic glass-ceramics are two-phase materials constituted by nanometer sized crystals, passive or activated by luminescent species, embedded in a glass matrix. Among the different techniques used to fabricate transparent glass ceramics the sol-gel route is highly appreciated because it allows to explore different compositions and develop novel fu...

For the development of flexible photonic devices, polymeric substrates are of capital importance due to their low cost and mechanical flexibility. However, they are sensitive to the environment’s influence on their durability. To overcome problems of polymeric substrates’ stability, we developed organically modified hybrid silica-titania coated PET...

Integration of photonic systems on deformable substrates has given rise to flexible photonics, a research field that has rapidly emerged in recent years. By adding mechanical flexibility to planar photonic structures, the spectrum of applications gains an incredible expansion. Flexible glassy photonic structures require a careful design and suitabl...

Flexible photonics is undoubtedly the next technological platform, capable to revolutionize current light-based technologies, thanks to their spatial freedom characteristics. Beyond polymer-based flexible photonics, the recent advent of ultrathin glasses with their mechanical flexibility has opened a new avenue for developing all-inorganic flexible...

Rare-earth-activated photonic structures are fundamental actors in widespread applications such as luminescence sources, lasers, integrated photonics, solar cells, biomedical sensors and imaging, biomarkers, and theragnostics. However, there are several critical problems to face, concerning the quantum yield of the rare-earth (RE) based photonic sy...

The reported work was focused on sol–gel-derived organically modified and fluorinated silica coatings deposited on elastic polymeric foil. The structure and topography of the coatings were tested by infrared spectroscopy and microscopic studies. The functional properties were determined using thermal analysis, surface analysis, and oxygen permeabil...

This paper presents the result of the investigation of organically modified silica (ORMOSIL)-zirconia coatings used to enhance their protective properties, namely corrosion and scratch resistance. Two different materials, i.e., SiO2/ZrO2 and SiO2/GPTMS/ZrO2, were synthesized, measured, and analyzed to find the difference in the used organosilane pr...

We introduce an easily implementable optomechanical device for pressure and vibration sensing using a multilayer structure on a flexible substrate. We present the design, fabrication and evaluation steps for a proof-of-concept device as well as optical glass components. The design steps include optical, mechanical, and optomechanical correlation si...

This work presents state of the art rare-earth activated SnO 2 nanocrystals - based transparent glass-ceramics. With combined enhancements in both photorefractivity and rare-earth photoluminescence, the glass-ceramic has unique benefits as a lasing material. It exhibits high photorefractivity with UV induced refractive index modifications in the or...

In this study, a novel approach of silica-PVA hybrid aerogel synthesis is presented based on the simultaneous sol-gel reaction of the silica precursor tertramethoxysilane (TMOS) and thermally impacted non-solvent induced phase separation of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The method based on: (1) water from PVA solution is required for hydrolysis of TMOS;...

The kinetics of the photochemical Norrish-Yang reaction in single crystals was studied using the example of 1,3,5,7-tetraazatricyclo[3.3.1.13,7]decane 4-(2,4,6-triisopropylbenzoyl)benzoate by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The reaction in the studied compound proceeds in two stages described by the JMAK model. In the first stage the reac...

The detailed information about the growth of organically modified silica networks regarded as useful for barrier coatings and membrane coatings preparation are the subject of this paper. The networks obtained using different precursors containing non-hydrolysable organic groups: dimethyldiethoxysilane – dMdEOS, ethyltriethoxysilane – EtEOS, n-propy...

Sol–gel coatings, thanks to the structural control at a molecular level, have a wide range of applications. These materials are environmentally friendly and can be an effective alternative to harmful methods of obtaining protection materials. In comparison to organic polymer coatings, inorganic sol–gel coatings have some advantages such as high mec...

In the present work silica (SiO2) coatings as interlayer and silica-titania (SiO2/TiO2) hybrid coatings as top layers, obtained by the sol-gel method and successfully applied on the polymeric substrate, were investigated as a sealing coatings. Materials were newly obtained and the morphological and structural investigations were performed. The stud...

Corrosion is constantly a major problem of the world economy in the field of metal products, metal processing and other areas that utilise metals. Previously used compounds utilizing hexavalent chromium were amongst the most effective materials for corrosion protection but regulations have been recently introduced that forbid their use. Consequentl...

The modification of carbon fibers for improving adhesion between fibers and an epoxy resin in composite materials has become the focus of attention. In this work the carbon fiber coating process has been devised in a way preventing the stiffening and clumping of fibers. To improve interactions between coated fibers and a resin in composites, four t...

Ultraviolet light influences materials structure causing the decomposition and degradation of organic compounds. One of the ideas to reduce the harmful effects of light is to protect materials by sol-gel coatings. ZnO sol-gel thin films on a glass substrate were obtained as optical filters. The filter effect of synthesized coatings stabilized in di...

The growing possibilities of surface modification which manifests in newly emerging technologies, newly-formed materials and possibility of combination of technologies and materials, gives scientists new tools for providing the ever increasing requirements of global markets. Advanced surface achieved by sol-gel coating technology gives possibilitie...

In this study, stable, homogenous and thin titania dioxide coatings (TiO2) on stainless steel substrate doped with two dosages of bioactive sphingolipids S1P were fabricated using the sol-gel method. S1P belongs to a family of sphingolipids acting as important extracellular signaling molecules and chemoattractants. This study investigated the effec...

The proper selection of synthesis parameters and the way of preparing materials is of crucial importance in successful sol–gel synthesis, hence high quality of coatings is essential. The pH value of the sol–gel reaction mixture, which is dependent on the used catalyst, influences the hydrolysis and condensation reaction and also affects the form an...