Shape-controlled synthesis and characterization of InVO4 particles

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Indium vanadate (InVO4) is a promising material for gas sensing applications.
• Controlling the morphology of InVO4 is crucial for optimizing its performance.
• Hydrothermal synthesis offers a versatile route for nanomaterial fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize InVO4 powders with diverse morphologies (rod-like, cubic-like, irregular, brick-like) via hydrothermal method.
• To investigate the influence of organic additives (CTAB, SDS, PVP, EDTA) and pH on InVO4 synthesis.
• To evaluate the gas sensing properties of the synthesized InVO4 materials towards ethanol and ammonia.

Main Methods:

• Hydrothermal synthesis utilizing various organic additives.
• Characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• Fabrication and testing of gas sensors based on InVO4 powders.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized InVO4 powders with distinct morphologies.
• Identified an optimal pH range (≤ 7.0) for pure InVO4 formation.
• Demonstrated that organic additives significantly influence morphology and size.
• Observed varying sensitivities to ethanol based on InVO4 morphology.
• Found InVO4 sensors are more sensitive to ethanol than ammonia.

Conclusions:

• The hydrothermal method with organic additives provides tunable synthesis of InVO4 with controlled morphologies.
• InVO4 exhibits selective gas sensing, with morphology playing a key role in performance.
• The material shows potential for developing selective ethanol sensors.