I want to prepare a CuI (Copper Iodide) thin film on ITO substrate but found out it is very much hydrophobic as well as difficult to disperse in ethanol, DMF, Hexane. But, in acetonitrile it is completely dissolved. To prepare a thin film by spin -coating technique dispersion of the material is necessary. So, I am thinking about surface engineering by which the hydrophobic surface will turn to hydrlophillic. Then I can disperse in water medium to prepare film.
I suggest the signalled papers for possibly useful reference:
C. Tubandt, E. Rindtorff, W. Jost, "Über Kontinuierliche Übergänge zwischen Ionen‐ und Elektronenleitung", Z. anorg. allg. Chem., 165(1) 1927, 195-220.
C. Weaver, S. Lorenzoni, "Conduction and crystallization of amorphous cuprous iodide", Philos. Mag., Series 8, 33(2) 1976, 363-369.
M. Grundmann, F.-L. Schein; M. Lorenz, T. Böntgen, J. Lenzner, H. von Wenckstern, "Cuprous iodide – a p‐type transparent semiconductor: history and novel applications", Physica Status Solidi A, 210(9) 2013, 1671-1703.
Starch is well combined with iodine and hydrophilicity will come. But you need to pick up the concentration. Take the starch, heat it with water until it dissolves, and then make a dilute solution from this solution and add it to your suspension.
You can also adopt the plasma treatment that use its low-pressure plasma systems to perform hydrophilic treatments on objects of various sizes and shapes. The target object is placed within an airtight chamber. Next the pressure of the chamber is lowered by using a vacuum to remove all of the air. Then, to begin the hydrophilic treatment, a precursor gas is inserted into the chamber where the combination of energy and a low-pressure causes the gas to ionize and become plasma. The excited plasma ions collide with the surface, microscopically changing the geometry of the surface. Specifically, during a hydrophilic treatment, the surface undergoes oxidation and the bombarding plasma ions form hydroxyl groups on the surface. These hydroxyl groups are polar, and since water is polar, it is attracted to them. Ultimately, this is what enhances the surface’s wettability and adhesion.
Air or oxygen (O2) gas is typically used for plasma cleaning and surface activation. An air or O2 plasma removes organic contaminants by chemical reaction with highly reactive oxygen radicals and ablation by energetic oxygen ions. The plasma also promotes hydroxylation (OH groups) on the surface, rendering the surface more hydrophilic and increasing surface wettability.
Water vapor (H2O) can also be used to introduce hydroxyl groups and render surfaces more hydrophilic. Special gas delivery equipment and gas handling procedures would be required to use with the plasma system. For samples that are sensitive to moisture, H2O plasma would not be recommended.
Alternatively, an argon plasma may be preferred for surface activation to minimize further oxidation of surfaces (e.g. metals). Argon plasma cleans by ion bombardment and physical ablation of contaminants off the surface and can also increase surface hydrophilicity by reaction of the plasma activated surfaces upon exposure to ambient air.
UV-ozone treatment could be a way out.
Article UV/Ozone Cleaning of Surfaces
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