Preparation of V₂O₅-Ink for the Fabrication of V₂O₅ Thin Films by the Spin Coating Method

This article reports the preparation of V₂O₅ ink via a novel chemical route. The prepared V₂O₅ ink has been spin coated for the synthesis of V₂O₅ thin films on glass substrates. The synthesized V₂O₅ thin films were annealed at 300-400 °C in air and characterized by different techniques. The X-ray diffraction data reveal the phase pure V₂O₅ compound with polycrystalline nature. The scanning electron microscopy micrographs unravel that the V₂O₅ thin films are smooth with few nanoflakes presented on the surfaces. An optical study reveals that transmittance and bandgap of the V₂O₅ thin films decrease with annealing temperature. The bandgap of the films varies in the range of 2.8-2.9 eV. These findings have opened a new avenue for the preparation of metal oxide ink. The prepared V₂O₅ ink is promising for the manufacture of low-cost V₂O₅-based photoelectrochemical cells.