Growth of dense Ti3SiC2 MAX phase films elaborated at room temperature by aerosol deposition method

For the very first time, dense and thick films of Ti3SiC2, a popular MAX-phase material, were elaborated on glass substrates by the aerosol deposition method (ADM) at RT. The influence of some processing parameters on the deposition rate and morphology of the films was studied. The films revealed an adhesive interface with the substrate and a dense internal microstructure with nanocrystallites resulting from a high fragmentation of the initial powder at the impact. The film surface showed different types of structuration, from a flat to a rough one with the presence of craters, whose deepness and diameter were linked to the film thickness. The deposition rate and film morphology were both influenced by the distance of projection and the carrier gas flow. Films with thicknesses ranging from 0.1 to 16 μm were thus obtained with a high deposition rate reaching 4 μm min−1, with a roughness, Ra, lower than 300 nm.