Study of Size Controllable Synthesis of Indium Tin Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Different Characterizations

Abstract

Nanocrystalline indium oxide powders were prepared by combustion synthesis. The changes of nanostructure caused by material processing were studied using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and Brummer Emette teller analysis (BET). The stoichiometric composition of the starting indium tin oxide powder (cubic in traces) induced phase transitions to high temperature. We found that the phase transition to ITO was initiated at the surface of the small particles, while transition from cubic to rutile started in their center. Changes in crystallite size during annealing process were obtained by the Scherer method, while the particle size changes were monitored by TEM. The difference in the results obtained by this combustion technique was explained in frame of basic physical properties characterizing both methods.

Keywords: XRD, BET, TEM, FTIR.