Obtaining of nanostructured ZnO coatings using mechanoactivated oxidation

The concept to use nanostructured state of metal at the instant of destruction in air environment was used to obtain nanostructured Zn-ZnO coatings on glass and quartz by mechanical method. Subsequent annealing in the ambient atmosphere, annealing in vacuum and irradiation with 532-nm YAG:Nd laser were used to obtain completely oxidized, transparent ZnO coatings. The saturated with oxygen nanostructured coatings were transformed into nanostructured ZnO coatings after annealing above 773K or irradiation with laser (allowing to reach 673K) in ambient atmosphere. AFM and SEM images show that after annealing ZnO coatings have multi-shaped structure. The formation of ZnO need-like whiskers (d = 100nm, l = 2μm) was observed after laser irradiation. Obtained ZnO coatings have high microhardness (10--12GPa), strong adhesion with substrates and show green and blue luminescence at room temperature. The oxidation process is mechanoactivated due to the facilitated oxygen diffusion along deformation defects: vacancies, dislocation, microcracks, and developed network of grain boundaries