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Highly Conductive Sb-SnO2 Nanocrystals Synthesized by Dual Nonthermal Plasmas
Qinyi Chen1, Elijah Thimsen1,2
1Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130, United States.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|May 13, 2020
Summary
Nonthermal plasma synthesis offers advantages for creating antimony tin oxide (ATO) nanocrystals. A novel dual-plasma method achieved unprecedented conductivity in ATO films, overcoming challenges in uniform doping and surface segregation.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Plasma Physics
Background:
- Colloidal synthesis of transparent conducting oxide nanocrystals can lead to issues like surface segregation of resistive phases, reducing electrical conductivity.
- Uniform elemental distribution and suppressed surface segregation are critical challenges in multicomponent metal oxide nanocrystal synthesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a nonthermal dual-plasma synthesis method for antimony tin oxide (ATO) nanocrystals.
- To address challenges in uniform composition and minimize surface segregation in doped metal oxide nanocrystals.
- To enhance the electrical conductivity of ATO nanocrystal assemblies.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a nonthermal dual-plasma synthesis approach for antimony tin oxide (ATO) nanocrystal formation.
- Investigated the impact of dual-plasma versus single-plasma configurations on nanocrystal properties.
- Fabricated and characterized thin films composed of synthesized ATO nanocrystals.
Main Results:
- Achieved uniform composition distribution and minimal surface segregation in ATO nanocrystals synthesized via dual-plasma.
- Observed a significant increase in electrical conductivity for ATO thin films made with the dual-plasma method compared to single-plasma.
- Attained conductivity values of approximately 0.1 S cm⁻¹ in as-deposited porous ATO nanocrystal films, a record for high surface area materials.
- Demonstrated that annealing at 500 °C for 2 hours in air further improved conductivity and ambient stability without significant crystallite size changes.
Conclusions:
- The nonthermal dual-plasma synthesis is a viable and effective method for producing high-conductivity antimony tin oxide (ATO) nanocrystals.
- This method overcomes key challenges in multicomponent nanocrystal synthesis, particularly uniform doping and surface phase segregation.
- The resulting ATO nanocrystal films exhibit superior electrical properties and stability, making them promising for transparent conducting applications.
