Development of tetraethoxysilane-based polymer absorbing coating with an adding of the cobalt oxide for a laser surgery

Abstract

The use of generated jets as «micro incisors» finds its application in laser surgery. Such methods of laser exposure are used to remove neoplasms, such as intervertebral hernias and cysts. An optical fiber is attached to the laser, which is inserted into the hernia or cyst through a puncture needle. To increase the efficiency of laser exposure, it is necessary to accumulate energy at the end of the waveguide by forming an absorbing coating, which should have high adhesion to quartz. In this work, a study was carried out on the development of a technique for polymer films by the sol-gel method for use in laser surgery as an absorbing coating. Tetraethoxysilane was chosen as a precursor for the formation of a polysilicate mesh holding small cobalt oxide particles. Optical, morphological, and absorbing properties of coatings obtained onto quartz glasses were studied in this work. Additionally, the solutions and the obtained coatings were studied using IR spectroscopy, the results of which showed the absence of a qualitative change in the sols during long-term storage (up to 3 weeks) and the formation of a three-dimensional silicate network and cobalt oxide in the films. The study of the surface morphology of the obtained coatings showed that high concentrations of cobalt salts are not required for the uniform distribution of the synthesized cobalt oxide. The absorbing properties of the samples were tested using an IR laser and a thermal imager. Owing to the research the optimal composition of the coating for the deposition on quartz waveguides was chosen.

Keywords

• tetraethoxysilane
• cobalt oxide
• quartz
• sol-gel technology
• ir spectroscopy
• laser radiation
• absorbing coating