Preparation of CeO2/TiO2 bilayer nanoparticle coating on ZrO2 fibers for thermal radiation shielding applications

In this study, a solvothermal method was utilized to fabricate a CeO2/TiO2 bilayer coating on ZrO2 fibers without the use of seed layers. The crystalline morphology, composition, and microstructural characteristics of the bilayer coating were investigated using XRD, Raman, EDS-mapping, SEM, TEM and XPS techniques. The effectiveness of the bilayer coating in shielding infrared radiation was evaluated through the utilization of reflectance and effective specific extinction coefficient (e*). When a dual-layer coating was applied, the fiber's e* underwent a significant enhancement within the wavelength range of 2.5-8 mu m, with a maximum increase of 76.13 %. The study showcased that, with nearly identical thickness conditions, the bilayer CeO2/TiO2 coating outperformed both the single-layer TiO2 coating and the single-layer CeO2 coating in terms of infrared light-blocking performance. Furthermore, the bilayer structure demonstrated outstanding heat resistance, withstanding temperatures of up to 1200 degrees C. This exceptional thermal stability positions it as a highly favorable choice for applications requiring infrared opacity in high-temperature environments.