The generation of nanostructured microscale assemblies with complex, three-dimensional (3-D) morphologies possessing multicomponent inorganic compositions tailored for adhesion is of considerable scientific and technological interest. This dissertation demonstrates that self-assembled 3-D organic templates of biogenic origin can be converted into replicas comprised of numerous other functional nanocrystalline inorganic materials and, further, how such replicas can tailored for adhesion. Nature provides a spectacular variety of biologically-assembled 3-D organic structures with intricate, hierarchical (macro-to-micro-to-nanoscale) morphologies designed for particle adhesion. The conformal coating of such structurally-complex biotemplates with synthetic materials provides a framework for chemical transformation of other, complex synthetic organic templates and the basis to study imparted adhesion properties. Three specific research thrusts are detailed in this document. First, freestanding magnetite (Fe3O4) replicas of bio-organic templates are synthesized via a layer-by-layer (LbL) wet chemical deposition process and subsequent morphology-preserving thermal treatments to allow for structures with tailorable long-range magnetic adhesion. Second, freestanding spinel ferrite replicas of bio-organic templates are synthesized (via LbL coating and thermal treatment) for grain size controlled long-range magnetic adhesion and short range van der Waals adhesion. The final research thrust focuses on the use of a low temperature (≤ 250°C) wet-chemical based process to convert bioorganic templates into magnetically-coated structures retaining both the size and morphology of the template. The rate-limiting kinetic mechanism(s) of the partial reduction of the inorganic coatings have been examined via quartz crystal microbalance analysis. The effects of the coating micro/nanostructure on magnetic behavior and on surface adhesion, have been investigated.

Chapter one reviewed the development of sol-gel stationary phase for gas chromatograph (GC). Inorganic sol-gel precursor creates the substrate support for stationary phase bind to silica surface through the condensation of silanol groups, the rough surface with enhanced surface area enlarger the capacity of the sol-gel stationary phase, the porosity of sol-gel structure decreases the mass transferring coefficient, the term C in Van Deemter equation, which makes sol-gel stationary phase thicker coating up to 1 um but keeps the high resolution for gas chromatography. Chemical bound stationary phase significantly improve GC column with better thermal stability and solvent stability. Partial derivatizations of known polymers have not increased the column performance but remained at the same level of 3200 plates per meter. The sol-gel chemistry with essential structure rebuilding will make sol-gel stationary phase to a new level. The chapter two reported the non-silica-based metal alkoxide oxide as the new building block, cooperated with known polymer poly(dimethyldiphenylsilanoxan), developed the original nonpolar feature of the stationary phase to broad the polarity from the nonpolar to extreme polar, overcome the thermal stability for other types of polar column. The theoretical plate number reached the 3200 plates per meter, and the optimized plate number arrived at the top level at 3800 plates per meter. The basic recipe and preparation of sol-gel process were verified by tungsten alkoxide incorporated with poly(dimethyldiphenylsilanoxan) as the stationary phase which arrived the same plate number level at 3800 per meter. Chapter three demonstrated the preparation of core-shell particle for HPLC. Conventional silica core particles were prepared with stÖbe methods. The extended layer of germanium oxide coating was made with acid and alkaline as a catalyst. EDS characterize the extended layers of germanium oxide has been coated at ratio 12/1(Ge/Si). Then the carbon loading with C 18 for surface derivatization were also confirmed with EDS testing. 2 um core-shell particles were successfully prepared from the external composition (1.7 um core, 0.3 um shell). The function of the core-shell particles was slurry packed with 5cm regular steel column and the capillary column with sol-gel frit. The preliminary HPLC testing showed the core-shell particles had more retention ability compare with 4 um commercial core particles. The backpressure of the short steel column and capillary both were beyond the pressure limit of conventional HPLC pump. Chapter three demonstrates the new ideal of the surface sol-gel process for GC stationary phase. Without the catalyst, the sol solution has constant viscosity and gelation time is much longer, the sol-gel reaction was taking on the silica surface only, to accomplish the thinner coating for sol-gel stationary phase. From the retention time of the grob mixture, the surface sol-gel coated 2 meters of column acquired the half retention time, grob mixture analytes were eluted within 7 minutes, compared with conventional sol-gel coated column eluted within 14 minutes. Without the TFA as the catalyst, the sol-gel matrix may not form effective surface area and porosity to support the functional polymer for separation, the column performances were two third of the protocol column, at 1500-2500 plate number per meter. The coating results proved the sol-gel stationary phase could be fulfilled with diluted sol solution by static coating. Basic parameters for dynamic coating and static coating with conventional coating and surface sol-gel were acquired for further development. The germania and niobium precursor is highly active, the water amount in the solvents used as received without drying process can meet the surface sol-gel coating without precipitates and gelation formed before finishing coat. For germania -PDMDPS column, thermal stability is very important because of the temperature for remaining the low residual OH- group in silica and germania film at 350 °C.

A custom-built surface sol-gel pumping system was built for applying conformal sol-gel based coatings with controlled thicknesses on three-dimensional (3-D) nanostructured templates. The 3-D templates utilized in this work were derived from biological species, such as diatoms and butterfly wings, as well as a synthetic photoresist polymer (SU-8). Tin oxide coatings were applied on silica-based diatom frustules using the automated surface sol-gel pumping system. An organic dendrimer method was developed for amplifying hydroxyl groups on the silica-based frustule surfaces to enhance the surface sol-gel deposition process. Conformal tin oxide coatings with controlled thicknesses were obtained on the hydroxyl amplified frustule surfaces; however, little if any deposition was observed on the frustules that were not subjected to the hydroxyl amplification process. The automated surface sol-gel system was also utilized to apply multicomponent tin oxide-doped titania alkoxide chemistries on the wing scales of a blue Morpho butterfly. The alkoxide solutions reacted directly with the OH functionalities provided by the native chitin chemistry of the scales. The tin oxide served as a rutile nucleating agent which allowed the titania to completely crystallize in the high refractive index rutile titania phase with doping concentrations of tin oxide as low as 7 mol % after annealing at 450oC. The tin oxide-doped titania coatings were both nanocrystalline and nanothick and replicated the nanostructured scales with a high degree of precision. Undoped titania coatings applied on the scales required a heat treatment of 900oC to crystallize the coating in the rutile titania phase which led to adverse coarsening effects which destroyed the nanostructed features of the scales. Tin oxide-doped titania coatings were also deposited on 3-D SU-8 photonic crystal structures. The coating was crystallized in an acidic solution at 80oC which led to the formation of rutile titania inverse opal photonic crystal structures which maintained the overall structure and ordering of the template. Barium titanate and europium-doped barium titanate coatings were applied on diatom frustules using a conventional reflux/evaporation deposition process. The silica-based diatom frustules had to first be converted into magnesia/silicon composite replicas using a gas/solid displacement reaction to render the template chemically compatible with the barium titanate-based coating. Conformal titanate-based coatings were obtained on the magnesia frustule replicas possessing uncontrolled thicknesses and excess inorganic particles using the reflux/evaporation deposition process. The europium-doped barium titanate coated frustules exhibited bright red photoluminescent properties upon stimulation with an ultraviolet light source.

<p>Impressive examples of the generation of hierarchically-patterned, three-dimensional (3-D) structures for the control of light can be found throughout nature. <i>Morpho rhetenor</i> butterflies, for example, possess scales with periodic parallel ridges, each of which consists of a stack of thin (nanoscale) layers (lamellae). The bright blue color of <i>Morpho</i> butterflies has been attributed to controlled scattering of the incident light by the lamellae of the wing scales. Another stunning example is the frustule (microshell) of the <i>Coscinodiscus wailesii</i> diatom, which is capable of focusing red light without possessing a traditional lens morphology. The photonic structures and the optical behaviors of <i>Morpho</i> butterflies and <i>Coscinodiscus wailesii</i> diatoms have been extensively studied. However, no work has been conducted to shift such light manipulation from the visible to the infrared (IR) range via shape-preserving conversion of such biogenic structures. Controlling IR radiation (i.e., heat) utilizing biogenic or biomimetic structures can be of significant utility for the development of energy-harvesting devices. In order to enhance the optical interaction in the IR range, inorganic replicas of biogenic structures comprised of high-refractive-index materials have been generated in this work. Such replicas of <i>Morpho</i> <i>rhetenor</i> scales were fabricated via a combination of sol-gel solution coating, organic pyrolysis, and gas/solid reaction methods. Diatomimetic structures have also been generated via sol-gel coating, gas/solid reaction, and then patterning of pore arrays using focused ion beam (FIB) milling.</p> Throughout the sol-gel solution coating and chemical conversion steps of the processes developed in this study, attention was paid to preserve the starting shapes of the nanopatterned, microscale biogenic or biomimetic structures. Factors affecting such shape preservation included the thicknesses and uniformities of coatings applied to the biogenic or biomimetic templates, nano/microstructural evolution during thermal treatment, and reaction-induced volume changes. A conformal surface sol-gel (SSG) coating process was developed in this work to generate oxide replicas of <i>Morpho rhetenor</i> butterfly scales with precisely-controlled coating thicknesses. The adsorption kinetics and relevant adsorption isotherm of the SSG process were investigated utilizing a quartz crystal microbalance. Analyses of thermodynamic driving forces, rate-limiting kinetic steps, and volume changes associated with various chemical reactions were used to tailor processing parameters for optimized shape preservation.