Improved charge transfer dynamics of Antimony doped TiO2/rGO nanocomposites

• Published in: Materials letters 2021-11, Vol.302, p.130294, Article 130294
• Main Authors: Prabakaran, S., Nisha, K.D., Harish, S., Archana, J., Navaneethan, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antimony; Charge transfer; Charge transfer process; Doping; Electrical properties; Electrical resistivity; Electrons trap; Graphene; Hall effect; Materials science; Mobility; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Optical measurement; Oxygen defect; Titanium dioxide
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2021.130294

•Sb doped TiO2 NPs were synthesized and the effect of Sb doping and compositing with rGO were investigated.•Integration of Sb doped TiO2 with rGO improved the electrical conductivity (1.2 times).•The charge transfer process (1.8 times) as well as enhanced the mobility (2.3 times) in the TiO2 lattice. The present work focuses on the charge transfer process in the Titanium dioxide (TiO2) lattice due to Antimony (Sb) doping and compositing it with reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Herein, we have prepared Sb doped TiO2 (STO) samples with different concentrations of Sb by solvothermal method and investigated its charge dynamics. From the TEM and HRTEM analysis spherical morphology of TiO2 nanoparticles and d-spacing variation in lattice due to Sb doping was observed. Optical measurements showed improved absorption in visible range as well as a low band tailing effect in the STO samples. XPS peak shift and PL intensity variations confirmed the formation of oxygen defects in the TiO2 lattice. EIS and Hall measurement investigation demonstrated slightly decreased electrical properties due to the heavy doping of Sb ions. Integration of STO NPs with rGO improved the electrical conductivity (1.2 times), accelerated the charge transfer process (1.8 times) as well as enhanced the mobility (2.3 times) in the TiO2 lattice.