Automotive applications of materials prepared by ceramic precursor and sol-gel routes

The promise of new applications continues to drive research on ceramic precursor and sol-gel routes to materials preparation. These routes otter flexibility in the fabrication of materials in forms such as films, coatings, fibers, foams, and powders, etc. Our interest in ceramic precursors stems from their potential in the low cost fabrication of films. Such films can be employed in a variety of new automotive applications. In this article, we summarize our efforts to prepare soluble ceramic precursors and their conversion to group IV metal nitrides. A comparison of some properties of electrically conducting titanium nitride films prepared by dipcoat-fire cycle and low pressure CVD is presented. We also describe the fabrication of indium tin oxide films by a sol-gel process. These films are candidates in the low cost fabrication of electrically heatable catalyst devices.