Facile Synthesis and Structural, Microstructural, and Dielectric Characteristics of SnO2-CeO2 Semiconducting Binary Nanocomposite

Abstract

Polycrystalline (1-x)SnO2-xCeO2 nanocomposites, where x = 0, 0.05, and 0.10, were synthesized using conventional co-precipitation method without any traces of impurities. Structural characterization revealed that the composition with x = 0 exhibited single-phase tetragonal rutile symmetry, whereas for x = 0.05 and 0.10 compositions showed both tetragonal and cubic phase coexistence as confirmed by Rietveld refinement studies. HRTEM micrographs showed nanoscale formation of nanocomposites and also displayed fringes depicting d spacing (110) = 0.34 nm belonging to SnO2 crystal matrix and d spacing (111) = 0.31 nm for cubic CeO2 crystal lattice. Dielectric properties of host SnO2 nanoparticles were improved by CeO2 addition in the SnO2. The increment in the real part of dielectric permittivity was observed for CeO2 modification of SnO2 matrix.