Synthesis of antimony oxide nano-particles by vapor transport and condensation

• Published in: Journal of materials science 2007-12, Vol.42 (23), p.9855-9858
• Main Authors: XU, C. H, SHI, S. Q, SURYA, C, WOO, C. H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air flow; Aluminum oxide; Antimony; Antimony oxides; Antimony trioxide; Chemical synthesis methods; Condensation; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Crucible furnaces; Crucibles; Deposition; Exact sciences and technology; Field emission microscopy; Flow velocity; Gas flow; Materials science; Metal foils; Methods of nanofabrication; Microscopy; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; Oxidation; Oxides; Physics; Reaction kinetics; Scanning electron microscopy; Silicon substrates; Synthesis; Transmission electron microscopy; Transport; Tube furnaces; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-007-1799-z

This paper reports the synthesis of Sb2O3 nano-particles by vapor transport and condensation of metallic antimony in oxidizing environment. Granular antimony inside an alumina crucible is placed in the middle of a tube furnace at 550 °C with air flow rate of 400 mL/min. Al foil, glass and Si-wafer, which are used as substrates, are placed downstream of the gas flow at a temperature of about 250 °C for the deposition of antimony oxide. The deposited antimony oxides on the substrates and the oxidized granular antimony in the alumina crucible are examined with field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The deposited antimony oxide consists of Sb2O3 nano-particles, while the oxidized granular antimony in the crucible consists of SbO2. The mechanism of the formation of Sb2O3 nano-particles is analyzed based on oxidation reaction thermodynamics and kinetics.