Synthesis, Structural and Optical Properties of Co Doped α-Sb₂O₄ Nanocomposites

Abstract

Present study reports the Synthesis, optical study of cobalt doped antimony based nanocomposites, which have been prepared by using CoCl3 (0.1M) and SbCl3 (0.1M) in 1:2 ration. The as-synthesized nanocomposites (NS) were analyzed by SEM (scanning electron microscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction spectroscopy) and UV-Visible spectroscopy The prepared Co:α-Sb2O4 NS are well crystalline with average particle size of 35 to 56 nm. From XRD data X-ray diffraction patterns confirms the orthorhombic phase. From scanning electron microscopy study it shows irregular shape of nanoparticles and crystallinity increases from 36 nm to 56 nm. From optical property studies the blue shift in UV-Visible spectrum of Co:α-Sb2O4 NS is due to overloading of Co ions which intern creates lattice defects. The direct optical band gap (Eg) for Co:α-Sb2O4 NS (10 %) was found to be 3.28 eV.