O níquel desempenha um papel importante na catálise como uma alternativa ao uso de metais nobres; no entanto, a preparação de nanopartículas de níquel com o tamanho e composição bem controlados não é uma tarefa fácil. O trabalho descrito nessa dissertação compreende a preparação e caracterização de um novo catalisador heterogêneo cotendo nanopartículas de níquel e o estudo da atividade catalítica em reações de hidrogenação em fase gososa e líquida. O catalisador foi preparado por pulverização catódica (magnetron sputtering deposition), que permitiu a deposição de nanopartículas com diâmetro médio de 2,5 ± 0,3 nm sobre um suporte de sílica, sem a utilização de solventes ou estabilizantes. Diferentes tempos de pulverização catódica permitiram a obtenção de catalisadores com diferentes concentrações de metal sobre o suporte. O catalisador preparado foi caracterizado por microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (MET), difração de raios X (DRX), espectroscopia de fotoéletrons excitados por raios X (XPS) e espectroscopia de absorção de raios X (XAS). As análises por técnicas de raios X mostraram que o catalisador oxida parcialmente sua superfície após ser exposto ao ar ambiente. Utilizando XAS, foi possível mostrar que o catalisador como preparado possui 61% de níquel metálico e 39% de níquel óxido. O catalisador exposto ao ar por um ano ainda apresentava 49% de níquel metálico. O desempenho dos catalisadores foi estudado na reação modelo de hidrogenação de cicloexeno, utilizando hidrogênio molecular como agente redutor. Para a hidrogenação em fase líquida, o catalisador não se mostrou ativo nas condições estudadas e não pode ser ativado mesmo após pré-tratamento com hidrogênio molecular. Já na hidrogenação em fase gasosa, o catalisador apresentou atividade catalítica, sendo mais ativo quando submetido a um processo de ativação com fluxo de hidrogênio e aquecimento até 200 ºC. O catalisador perde atividade ao ser utilizado por um longo período ou utilizado em sucessivos ciclos de aquecimento em condições reacionais, mas a atividade pode ser recuperada quando o catalisador é tratado termicamente sob fluxo de hidrogênio. / Nickel plays an important role in catalysis as an affordable alternative for noble metals; however, it is one of the most difficult metal nanoparticles to prepare with well-controlled size and composition. This master thesis comprises the development and characterization of a new heterogeneous catalyst containing nickel nanoparticles and the catalytic studies for hydrogenation reactions in liquid and gas phase. The catalyst was prepared by magnetron sputtering deposition, allowing the deposition of nanoparticles of 2.5 ± 0.3 nm on silica, without using solvents and stabilizers. Different sputtering times allowed the preparation of catalysts with different loading of metal on silica. The catalyst prepared has been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The analysis by X-ray techniques revealed that the catalyst partially oxidize its surface after being exposed to ambient air. By XAS technique, it was possible to show that the catalyst as prepared has 61% of metallic nickel and 39% of nickel oxide. The as prepared catalyst was exposed to air for a year still contains 49% of metallic nickel. The performance of the catalyst was studied in cyclohexene hydrogenation model reaction, using molecular hydrogen as reducing agent. The catalyst was not active for the liquid phase hydrogenation under the studied conditions, and could not be activated by a pre-treatment with hydrogen. In the gas phase hydrogenation, the catalyst showed catalytic activity being more active when submitted to an activation process with hydrogen flow and heating to 200 ºC. The catalyst loses activity when used for a long time on stream or used in consecutive heating cycles under reaction conditions, but the activity can be regenerated when the catalyst is heat-treated under hydrogen flow.

O níquel desempenha um papel importante na catálise como uma alternativa ao uso de metais nobres; no entanto, a preparação de nanopartículas de níquel com o tamanho e composição bem controlados não é uma tarefa fácil. O trabalho descrito nessa dissertação compreende a preparação e caracterização de um novo catalisador heterogêneo cotendo nanopartículas de níquel e o estudo da atividade catalítica em reações de hidrogenação em fase gososa e líquida. O catalisador foi preparado por pulverização catódica (magnetron sputtering deposition), que permitiu a deposição de nanopartículas com diâmetro médio de 2,5 ± 0,3 nm sobre um suporte de sílica, sem a utilização de solventes ou estabilizantes. Diferentes tempos de pulverização catódica permitiram a obtenção de catalisadores com diferentes concentrações de metal sobre o suporte. O catalisador preparado foi caracterizado por microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (MET), difração de raios X (DRX), espectroscopia de fotoéletrons excitados por raios X (XPS) e espectroscopia de absorção de raios X (XAS). As análises por técnicas de raios X mostraram que o catalisador oxida parcialmente sua superfície após ser exposto ao ar ambiente. Utilizando XAS, foi possível mostrar que o catalisador como preparado possui 61% de níquel metálico e 39% de níquel óxido. O catalisador exposto ao ar por um ano ainda apresentava 49% de níquel metálico. O desempenho dos catalisadores foi estudado na reação modelo de hidrogenação de cicloexeno, utilizando hidrogênio molecular como agente redutor. Para a hidrogenação em fase líquida, o catalisador não se mostrou ativo nas condições estudadas e não pode ser ativado mesmo após pré-tratamento com hidrogênio molecular. Já na hidrogenação em fase gasosa, o catalisador apresentou atividade catalítica, sendo mais ativo quando submetido a um processo de ativação com fluxo de hidrogênio e aquecimento até 200 ºC. O catalisador perde atividade ao ser utilizado por um longo período ou utilizado em sucessivos ciclos de aquecimento em condições reacionais, mas a atividade pode ser recuperada quando o catalisador é tratado termicamente sob fluxo de hidrogênio. / Nickel plays an important role in catalysis as an affordable alternative for noble metals; however, it is one of the most difficult metal nanoparticles to prepare with well-controlled size and composition. This master thesis comprises the development and characterization of a new heterogeneous catalyst containing nickel nanoparticles and the catalytic studies for hydrogenation reactions in liquid and gas phase. The catalyst was prepared by magnetron sputtering deposition, allowing the deposition of nanoparticles of 2.5 ± 0.3 nm on silica, without using solvents and stabilizers. Different sputtering times allowed the preparation of catalysts with different loading of metal on silica. The catalyst prepared has been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The analysis by X-ray techniques revealed that the catalyst partially oxidize its surface after being exposed to ambient air. By XAS technique, it was possible to show that the catalyst as prepared has 61% of metallic nickel and 39% of nickel oxide. The as prepared catalyst was exposed to air for a year still contains 49% of metallic nickel. The performance of the catalyst was studied in cyclohexene hydrogenation model reaction, using molecular hydrogen as reducing agent. The catalyst was not active for the liquid phase hydrogenation under the studied conditions, and could not be activated by a pre-treatment with hydrogen. In the gas phase hydrogenation, the catalyst showed catalytic activity being more active when submitted to an activation process with hydrogen flow and heating to 200 ºC. The catalyst loses activity when used for a long time on stream or used in consecutive heating cycles under reaction conditions, but the activity can be regenerated when the catalyst is heat-treated under hydrogen flow.

Ce travail porte sur la préparation de couches minces et sur des dispositifs flexibles à base de CoSb₃ performant et à faible coût par pulvérisation cathodique pour des applications thermoélectriques. Dans un premier temps, La pulvérisation cathodique et la co-pulvérisation ainsi que le procédé de traitement thermique ont été étudiés et optimisés pour améliorer la microstructure et surtout les propriétés thermoélectriques de couches minces. Ces deux techniques de dépôt ont donné un facteur de puissance respectivement de 1,47 × 10-4 Wm-1K-2 et de 0,98 × 10-4 Wm-1K-2. Deuxièmement, Ag et Ti ont été utilisés pour doper les couches minces de CoSb3 via un dépôt par pulvérisation magnétron. La microstructure, la morphologie, la composition et les propriétés thermoélectriques des couches minces de CoSb3 dopés ou co-dopeés sont fortement dépendantes de la teneur de dopage. Une amélioration simultanée du coefficient de Seebeck et de la conductivité électrique grâce au dopage par Ag, a été obtenue, indiquant que Ag est un dopant efficace avec un facteur de puissance maximal de 2,97 × 10-4 Wm-1K-2, plusieurs fois celui de l'échantillon non dopé. Des résultats similaires peuvent être obtenus pour des couches minces dopées au Ti, avec une amélioration simultanée du coefficient de Seebeck et de la conductivité électrique. En particulier, la conductivité thermique de la couche mince a été considérablement réduite en contrôlant soigneusement la nanostructure et la teneur en dopage Ti par optimisation du procédé de dépôt, ce qui a entraîné une augmentation de la figure de mérite ZT de 0,15 à 0,90. Troisièmement, des études détaillées sur des couches minces de CoSb₃ co-dopées Ag/(Sn, Ti ou In) ont été réalisées. L'influence de la nature et de la concentration du co-dopant sur les propriétés des couches minces de CoSb₃ a été étudiée. Le coefficient de Seebeck et la conductivité électrique de toutes les couches minces co-dopées sont simultanément augmentés par rapport à la couche mince non dopée. Le facteur de puissance a été ainsi nettement augmentée et une valeur d'environ 0,32 mWm-1K-2 a été obtenue pour des couches minces co-dopées Ag/Sn. Le facteur de puissance maximal pour des couches co-dopées Ag/Ti et Ag/In est également proche d cette valeur. De plus, une faible conductivité thermique a aussi été obtenue pour ces couches co-dopées, en particulier avec le co-dopage Ag/In, conduisant à une valeur ZT beaucoup plus élevée que les autres couches minces. Enfin, un dispositif à base de nano-couches de CoSb₃ a été fabriqué et une structure des électrodes en multicouche a été mise au point afin d'améliorer la stabilité thermique du dispositif à l'air. Une tension de sortie supérieure à 90 mV et une densité de puissance élevée de 0,46 mWcm-2 peuvent être obtenues à partir du dispositif fabriqué. De plus, ce dispositif a également été testé en tant que capteur thermique et il présente une réponse rapide, avec un temps de réaction de quelques centaines de millisecondes avec une grande stabilité. Il a été également démontré la possibilité d'obtenir une tension de sortie relativement élevée d'environ 7 V avec une intensité de courant d'environ 0,35 mA grâce à ces dispositifs thermoélectriques à couches minces. Ces résultats permettent d'envisager des applications réelles, notamment pour alimenter des équipements électroniques/électriques portatifs. / This work was focused on the preparation of low-cost and high performance CoSb₃ thin films by magnetron sputtering deposition, and on the preparation of efficient flexible thin film devices based on CoSb₃ thin films for thermoelectric application. Firstly, two methods, co-sputtering and single target sputtering, for preparing CoSb₃ thin films by using magnetron sputtering deposition were studied and the heat-treatment process was optimized for the improvement of the micro-structure and thermoelectric properties of the films. Thin films prepared by co-sputtering method or using a single alloy target deposition method have a maximum power factor value of 1.47 × 10-4 Wm-1K-2 and 0.98 × 10-4 Wm-1K-2 respectively. Secondly, Ag and Ti were used for doping the CoSb₃ thin films via magnetron sputtering deposition. The microstructure, morphology, composition, and thermoelectric properties of the single doped CoSb₃ films are found to strongly dependent on the doping content. The results demonstrate a simultaneous improvement of the Seebeck coefficient and the electrical conductivity through Ag doping, indicating that Ag is an efficient dopant for CoSb₃ thin film. Maximal power factor value of 2.97×10-4 Wm-1K-2 has been obtained after Ag doping, which is several times of the value for the un-doped sample. Similar results have been obtained from the single Ti doped CoSb₃ thin films. Interestingly, the thermal conductivity of the film has also been dramatically reduced by carefully controlling the nano-structure and Ti doping content, resulting in an enhanced ZT value from 0.15 to 0.90. Thirdly, detailed studies on magnetron sputtering deposition Ag/(Sn, Ti or In) co-doped CoSb3 thin films have been performed. The influence of the co-doped element type and content on the properties of CoSb₃ thin films has been demonstrated. The Seebeck coefficient and the electrical conductivity of all the co-doped thin films have been simultaneously increased comparing to the un-doped thin film, leading to distinctly enhanced power factor. A maximum power factor value of about 0.32 mWm-1K-2 can be obtained from Ag/Sn co-doped thin film, and similar results have been obtained also from Ag/Ti and Ag/In co-doped films. Additionally, lower thermal conductivity has been obtained from the co-doped thin films, especially with the Ag/In co-doping, leading to much higher room temperature ZT value for the co-doped films, compared to the un-doped or Ag-doped thin films. Lastly, CoSb₃ based nano thin film device has been fabricated and a multilayer structure of the electrodes was used in order to improve the thermal stability of the device in air. A relatively high output voltage of above 90 mV and a high power density of 0.46 mWcm-2 can be obtained with this device. Moreover, this device has also been tested as thermal sensor and it exhibits a fast responsivity, with a reaction time of a few hundreds of millisecond, as well as a high stability. It has also been demonstrated the possibility of obtaining relatively high output voltage of about 7 V at a current intensity of about 0.35 mA by connecting several thin film thermoelectric devices. These results are highly encouraging for achieving practical applications such as power supply for portable electronic devices and sensor.

This thesis is focused on the description of the method of reactive sputtering of thin films. Currently, there are many ways how to create thin films and there are many applications of thin films in various industrial sectors. In this paper at the first are listed the issue of thin films, followed by an overview of the deposition techniques and of the chemical analysis of deposited thin films. It also describes the four-point measurement method of sheet resistance, mechanical test of adhesion and optical properties. At the end of the theoretical part are described the material composition of the deposited films. The goal of the practical part is to optimize the deposition process of the mixed layer of indium tin oxide (In2O3: SnO2) and contribute to the overall understanding of the influence of annealing on the layer. There were created six series of samples with that applied layers. First, the work focused on examining of the influence of annealing on the throughput in the whole measuring range, and then comparing the series due to the transmittance in the visible light spectrum. Furthermore were compared the value of sheet resistance of unannealed and subsequently annealed samples.