Enhancing structural and optical properties of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) incorporating with indium tin oxide nanoparticles (ITO NPs): effects of annealing temperature

Abstract

TiO2 NPs and ITO NPs embedded systems are vital for surface modification in various applications. Enhancing the characterization of TiO2 NPs/ITO NPs nanoparticles to improve application efficiency is a key research direction. This study focuses on characterizing nanocomposites using TEM, SEM, XRD, UV-Vis spectroscopy, EDS, and PL spectroscopy. TiO2 NPs and ITO NPs were separately prepared using the sol-gel method, and their hybridization was achieved through an appropriate method. TEM images reveal the nano size of TiO2 NPs and TiO2 NPs/ITO NPs, with mean diameters of 12.25 ± 13 nm and 11.43 ± 11 nm, respectively. Hexagonal structures like nanoparticles are observed in the TEM analysis. SEM images demonstrate the uniform dispersion and smooth surface morphology of TiO2 NPs/ITO NPs. XRD analysis confirms the crystalline nature of TiO2 NPs, corresponding to specific crystallographic planes in the hexagonal structure. The addition of ITO NPs induces a redshift in the UV-Vis spectra, suggesting an influence on the bandgap of TiO2 NPs and potential applications in photocatalytic degradation and solar energy utilization. Photoluminescence spectroscopy reveals optical characteristics of the TiO2 NPs/ITO NPs hybrid nanostructures, with a visible emission peak redshift nm at room temperatures ranging from 400 °C to 600 °C. These findings contribute to understanding the optical behavior and interaction between ITO NPs and TiO2 NPs in the hybrid nanostructures. Overall, these characterization techniques provide valuable information on size, shape, crystallinity, optical properties, and interactions within the nanocomposites, benefiting further research and potential applications.

Keywords

• TiO2 NPs
• ITO NPs
• photoluminescence
• annealing temperature
• TiO2 NPs/ITO NPs