Mg-doped VO2 nanoparticles: hydrothermal synthesis, enhanced visible transmittance and decreased metal―insulator transition temperature

• Published in: Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP 2013-01, Vol.15 (20), p.7505-7511
• Main Authors: JIADONG ZHOU, YANFENG GAO, XINLING LIU, ZHANG CHEN, LEI DAI, CHUANXIANG CAO, HONGJIE LUO, KANAHIRA, Minoru, CHAO SUN, LIUMING YAN
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Physical and chemical studies. Granulometry. Electrokinetic phenomena
• ISSN: 1463-9076; 1463-9084
• DOI: 10.1039/c3cp50638j

This paper reports the successful preparation of Mg-doped VO2 nanoparticles via hydrothermal synthesis. The metal-insulator transition temperature (T(c)) decreased by approximately 2 K per at% Mg. The Tc decreased to 54 °C with 7.0 at% dopant. The composite foils made from Mg-doped VO2 particles displayed excellent visible transmittance (up to 54.2%) and solar modulation ability (up to 10.6%). In addition, the absorption edge blue-shifted from 490 nm to 440 nm at a Mg content of 3.8 at%, representing a widened optical band gap from 2.0 eV for pure VO2 to 2.4 eV at 3.8 at% doping. As a result, the colour of the Mg-doped films was modified to increase their brightness and lighten the yellow colour over that of the undoped-VO2 film. A first principle calculation was conducted to understand how dopants affect the optical, Mott phase transition and structural properties of VO2.