Physical and Optical Properties of Indium Oxide: Tin Nanoparticles Synthesized by Co-Precipitation Method

Abstract

Indium oxide:tin nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation method using InCl3 and SnCl4·5H2O as starting precursor with different molar ratios of Sn:In. The crystalline structure, optical properties, chemical bonding and morphologies of all samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis spectrometer, Raman spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscope, respectively. The XRD results show that the crystallinity of as-synthesized powders was initially amorphous phase. After calcination at 400 °C for 2 h, a single phase ITO powder with 10% (mol%) SnO2 was obtained. The particle size of each sample is approximately 20-25 nm. The color of indium oxide:tin nanopowders after heat treatment changed from white to yellow due to the substitution of oxygen vacancies in the sample. After calcination, the intensity of Raman peak significantly decreased with increasing amount of Sn loading. This phenomenon indicates that ion substitution may occur during the synthesis process. Moreover, it is noticed that the optical absorbance of obviously changed with increasing Sn loading.