Silanization of Stainless Steel Surfaces: Influence of Application Parameters

The adsorption of y-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (y-APS) onto stainless steel substrates has been investigated by Low-Energy Electron Induced X-ray Spectrometry (LEEIXS). Results reported in this work show the influence, on the film thickness, on the one hand, of silane concentration, pH, aging time and alcohol/water ratio of the y-APS solution, and on the other hand, the influence of the drying conditions of the silane films. Clearly, these demonstrate the capabilities of LEEIXS for quantifying the amount of y-APS adsorbed on the metallic surfaces from the silane solutions. Some correlations are also shown between spectrometric results and mechanical data (practical adhesion measurements) provided by a three-point flexure test.