Structure, Conductivity, and Sensor Properties of Nanosized ZnO-In₂O₃ Composites: Influence of Synthesis Method

Abstract

The influence of the method used for synthesizing ZnO-In2O3 composites (nanopowder mixing, impregnation, and hydrothermal method) on the structure, conductivity, and sensor properties is investigated. With the nanopowder mixing, the size of the parent nanoparticles in the composite remains practically unchanged in the range of 50–100 nm. The impregnation composites consist of 70 nm In2O3 nanoparticles with ZnO nanoclusters 2 is 1.3–1.5 times higher than the response of the mixed composite. Additives of 15–20 and 85 wt.% ZnO to mixed and impregnated composites lead to an increase in the response compared with pure In2O3. In the case of hydrothermal composite, up to 20 wt.% ZnO addition leads to a decrease in response, but 65 wt.% ZnO addition increases response by almost two times compared with pure In2O3. The sensor activity of a hydrothermal composite depends on the phase composition of In2O3. The maximum efficiency is reached for the composite containing cubic In2O3 and the minimum for rhombohedral In2O3. An explanation is provided for the observed effects.

Keywords

• zinc oxide
• indium oxide
• nanostructured composite
• synthesis method
• impregnation
• hydrothermal method