Zn-doped and undoped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles: A comparative structural, optical and LPG sensing properties study
- Department of Physics, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad 211004 (India)
Graphical abstract: The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirm that all the materials prepared are polycrystalline SnO{sub 2} possessing tetragonal rutile structure. On Zn-doping, the crystallite size has been found to decrease from 25 nm (undoped sample) to 13 nm (1 at% Zn-doped sample). Display Omitted Highlights: ► Zn-doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles show smaller crystallite size (11–17 nm). ► Optical band gap in SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles increases on Zn-doping. ► 2 at% Zn-doped sample show minimum room temperature resistivity. ► LPG response of the Zn-doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles increases considerably. ► 1 at% Zn-doped sample shows maximum response (87%) at 300 °C to 1 vol% concentration. -- Abstract: SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles were prepared by the co-precipitation method with SnCl{sub 4}·5H{sub 2}O as the starting material and Zn(CH{sub 3}COO){sub 2}·2H{sub 2}O as the source of dopant. All the materials prepared have been found to be polycrystalline SnO{sub 2} possessing tetragonal rutile structure with crystallite sizes in the range 11–25 nm. Optical analyses reveal that for the SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles, both undoped and Zn-doped, direct transition occurs with the bandgap energies in the range 3.05–3.41 eV. Variation in the room temperature resistivity of the SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles as a function of dopant concentration has been explained on the basis of two competitive processes: (i) replacement of Sn{sup 4+} ion by an added Zn{sup 2+} ion, and (ii) ionic compensation of Zn{sup 2+} by the formation of oxygen vacancies. Among all the samples examined for LPG sensing, the 1 at% Zn-doped sample exhibits fast and maximum response (∼87%) at 300 °C for 1 vol% concentration of LPG in air.
- OSTI ID:
- 22215659
- Journal Information:
- Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 47, Issue 12; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2012 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Gas sensing behaviour of Zn doped SnO{sub 2} nanostructures
Novel magnetic and optical properties of Sn{sub 1−x}Zn{sub x}O{sub 2} nanoparticles