STABLE AND ADHESIVE HYBRID FLUORESCENT SOL-GEL COATING ON PRETREATED STAINLESS-STEEL - APPLICATION TO THE REALIZATION OF OPTICAL FLUORESCENCE SENSORS

New organic-inorganic sol-gel films have been prepared starting from m ixtures of silicon and zirconium alkoxides using a multi-step synthesi s process. The coatings have been deposited on stainless steel rendere d adhesive towards the gels by an oxidative surface treatment and have been loaded with a fluorescent powder. The final deposits with or wit hout loading, have successfully survived drastic standard adherence te sts before and after several dips into liquid nitrogen. Fluorescence s pectra and decay have been investigated showing that the fluorescent s ol-gel coating is very attractive to realize noncontact optical cryoge nic temperature sensor. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.