Magnetic and antibacterial properties of Zr-doped SnO2 nanopowders

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics 2017-10, Vol.28 (20), p.15056-15064
• Main Authors: Manjula, N., Selvan, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry and Materials Science; Crystal structure; Ferromagnetism; Fourier transforms; Grains; Infrared spectroscopy; Magnetic properties; Materials Science; Optical and Electronic Materials; Optical properties; Organic chemistry; Photoluminescence; Spectrum analysis; Tin; Tin dioxide; Tin oxides; Zirconium oxides
• ISSN: 0957-4522; 1573-482X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10854-017-7380-x

Zirconium doped tin oxide (SnO 2 :Zr) nanopowders were synthesized by a simple soft chemical route adding various concentrations of zirconyl chloride (0, 5, 10 and 15 wt%). The samples were characterized by techniques like XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX, FTIR spectroscopy, UV–Vis-NIR spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. XRD studies confirm that all the samples exhibit rutile tetragonal crystal structure with a strong (1 0 1) preferential growth texture. Hexagonal shaped grains were evinced from the SEM images. Nanosized grains are evinced from the TEM images and EDX spectra confirm the presence of Zr in the doped samples. The bands at 523 and 583 cm −1 observed in the FTIR spectra which are attributed as the characteristics of γ (Sn–OH) terminal bond of the SnO 2 crystalline phase confirm the presence of Sn–O in the synthesized samples. The doped samples exhibit ferromagnetic behavior. Enhanced antibacterial activity was observed for the doped samples. The obtained results show that zirconium strongly influenced the structural, morphological, optical, magnetic and antibacterial properties of pure SnO 2 nanopowders.