The effect of Sb and Nb on the electrical conductivity of tin dioxide based ceramics

The electrical conductivity of Mn doped SnO2 systems prepared by an organic route (Pechini's method) has been investigated as a function of antimony and niobium concentration. The conductivity increases with the increase of both concentration ions, however, in a different manner. While the conductivity of niobium doped ceramics increases with the power of 1.6 for the entire range of concentrations studied (0.01-0.7 mol%), the conductivity of antimony doped ceramics increases with the power of 1.9 in the range 0.01-0.05 mol% of Sb; 3.7 in the range 0.05-0.30 mol% and 1.8 in the range 0.30-0.70 mol%. This behavior is attributed to the existence of two stable oxidation states for antimony: Sb3+ and Sb5+, while for niobium there is only one: Nb5+. The power of 3.7 for Sb would be related to the segregation of this ion on the grain boundary accompanied by an additional contribution coming from the substitution of Sn2+ by Sb3+ on the grain surface.

XPS study on water corrosion of fluorzirconate glasses and their protection by a layer of surface modified tin dioxide nanoparticles

The surface corrosion process associated with the hydrolysis of fluorozirconate glass, Z-BLAN (53ZrF(4), 20BaF(2), 20NaF, 4LaF(2), 3AlF(3)), and the corrosion protection efficiency of a nanocrystalline transparent SnO2 layer were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The tin oxide film was deposited by the sol-gel dip-coating process in the presence of Tiron(R) as particle surface modifier agent. The chemical bonding structure and composition of the surface region of coated and non-coated ZBLAN were studied before water contact and after different immersion periods (5-30 min). In contrast to the effects occurring for non-coated glass, where the surface undergoes a rapid selective dissolution of the most soluble species inducing the formation of a new surface phase consisting of stable zirconium oxyfluoride, barium fluoride and lanthanum fluoride species, the results for the SnO2-coated glass showed that the hydrolytic attack induces a filling of the film nanopores by dissolved glass material and the formation of tin oxylluoride and zirconium oxyfluoride species. This process results in a modified film, which acts as a hermetic diffusion barrier protecting efficiently the glass surface. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical decomposition of cyanides on tin dioxide electrodes in alkaline media

The electrochemical oxidation of cyanide in alkaline media was studied at different pH levels on SnO2 doped with Sb supported on titanium, at 25 degrees C, the electrooxidation of CN- at constant current follows a first-order rate law with a half life of t(1/2) = 35 min on SnO2-SbOx electrodes and t(1/2) = 69 min on SnO2-SbOx-RuO2 electrodes, in K2SO4(aq), pH 12, the reaction rate increases with the applied current and tends to reach a plateau when j > 20 mA cm(-2), In the pH range 10-13.5 the reaction rate diminishes as pH is increased owing to an increasing competition between CN- and OH- ions for the electrode surface. Addition of chloride to the solution does not alter the rate law but increases the reaction rate, A mechanism is proposed to explain the observed behaviour.

Microstructural and morphological analysis of pure and Ce-doped tin dioxide nanoparticles

Structural morphological studies in pure and Ce-doped tin dioxide nanoparticles with high stability against particle growth were performed in samples, obtained using the polymeric precursor method and prepared at different annealing temperatures. A Ce-rich surface layer was used to control the particle size and stabilize SnO2 against particle growth. The formation of this segregated layer can contribute to a decreased surface energy, acting in the driving force, or reducing the surface mobility. Only the cassiterite SnO2 phase was observed below 1000 degreesC and a secondary phase (CeO2) was observed for the Ce-doped SnO2 at temperatures higher than 1000 degreesC, when de-mixing process occurs. The evolution of crystallite size, microstrain and morphology of the nanoparticles with annealing temperatures was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), associated to Rietveld refinements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Translucent tin dioxide ceramics obtained by natural sintering

Dense SnO2-based ceramics (relative density >95%) have been obtained by natural sintering at a moderate temperature (less than or equal to 1300 degrees C) with the help of a small amount of manganese, Further thermal treatments above 1500 degrees C result in grain growth and transport of manganese toward the sample surface. If the ceramic is embedded inside alumina powder, the diffusion of Mn out of the sample and into alumina during such heat treatments leads to a manganese-free body (<40 ppm) which is translucent. The transmission in the visible region depends on sample thickness; 61% was achieved for a 0.05 mm thick sample.

Growth kinetics of tin oxide nanocrystals in colloidal suspensions under hydrothermal conditions

Colloidal suspensions of tin oxide nanocrystals were synthesized at room temperature by the hydrolysis reaction of tin chloride (II), in an ethanolic solution. The coarsening kinetics of such nanocrystals was studied by submitting the as-prepared suspensions to hydrothermal treatments at temperatures of 100, 150 and 200 degrees C for periods between 60 and 12,000 min. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to characterize the samples (i.e. distribution of nanocrystal size, average particle radius and morphology). The results show that the usual Ostwald ripening coarsening mechanism does not fit well the experimental data, which is an indicative that this process is not significant for SnO2 nanocrystals, in the studied experimental conditions. The morphology evolution of the nanocrystals upon hydrothermal treatment indicates that growth by oriented attachment (OA) should be significant. A kinetic model that describes OA growth is successfully applied to fit the data. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study of synthesis variables in the nanocrystal growth behavior of tin oxide processed by controlled hydrolysis

Tin dioxide nanoparticle suspensions were synthesized at room temperature by the hydrolysis reaction of tin chloride (II) dissolved in ethanol. The effect of the initial tin (II) ion concentration, in the ethanolic solution, on the mean particle size of the nanoparticles was studied. The Sn2+ concentration was varied from 0.0025 to 0.1 M, and all other synthesis parameters were kept fixed. Moreover, an investigation of the effect of agglomeration on the nanoparticle characteristics (i.e., size and morphology) was also done by modifying the pH of the SnO2 suspensions. The different samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, optical absorption spectroscopy in the ultraviolet range, and photoluminescence measurements. The results show that higher initial ion concentrations and agglomeration lead to larger nanoparticles. The concentration effect is explained by enhanced growth due to a higher supersaturation of the liquid medium. However, it was observed that the agglomeration of the nanoparticles in suspension induce coarsening by the oriented-attachment mechanism.

Densification of Mn-doped tin oxide films by conventional heating and microwave heating treatment

Mn(II) doped SnO2 thin films used for shielding fluoride glasses against corrosion were investigated by x-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS and XANE)S at the Sn and Mn K-edges. The effect of firing treatment on the densification of the films was studied. It has been evidenced a partial change of Mn valence from 2.3 to 2.6 upon heating which is attributed to a change of ratios of two Mn sites: grafted divalent Mn ions at the surface of SnO 2 nanocrystallites and trivalent Mn ions embedded into a substitutional solid solution with Sn. © Physica Scripta 2005.

Numerical simulation of the liquid phase in SnO2 thin film deposition by sol-gel-dip-coating

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Raman and photoluminescence of Er3+-doped SnO2 obtained via the sol-gel technique from solutions with distinct pH

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Influence of pH of Colloidal Suspension on the Electrical Conductivity of SnO2 thin Films Deposited Via Sol-Gel-Dip-Coating

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Growth of Al2O3 thin film by oxidation of resistively evaporated Al on top of SnO2, and electrical properties of the heterojunction SnO2/Al2O3

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Effect of pH of colloidal suspension on crystallization and activation energy of deep levels in SnO2 thin films obtained via sol-gel

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Evaluation of Bulk and Surfaces Absorption Edge Energy of Sol-Gel-Dip-Coating SnO2 Thin Films

The absorption edge and the bandgap transition of sol-gel-dip-coating SnO2 thin films, deposited on quartz substrates, are evaluated from optical absorption data and temperature dependent photoconductivity spectra. Structural properties of these films help the interpretation of bandgap transition nature, since the obtained nanosized dimensions of crystallites are determinant on dominant growth direction and, thus, absorption energy. Electronic properties of the bulk and (110) and (101) surfaces are also presented, calculated by means of density functional theory applied to periodic calculations at B3LYP hybrid functional level. Experimentally obtained absorption edge is compared to the calculated energy band diagrams of bulk and (110) and (101) surfaces. The overall calculated electronic properties in conjunction with structural and electro-optical experimental data suggest that the nature of the bandgap transition is related to a combined effect of bulk and (101) surface, which presents direct bandgap transition.

Influence of processing parameters on nanomaterials synthesis efficiency by a carbothermal reduction process

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)