Synthesis, characterization and optical properties of nitrogen-doped ZnTiO3

Thin Films Laboratory, Materials Physics Division, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University,

Vellore-632 014, Tamilnadu, India

E-mail : drnmrao@gmail.com

Centre for Excellence in Nano Materials, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University, Vellore-632 014,

Tamilnadu, India

Nitrogen doped ternary metal oxide ZnTiO₃ was synthesized by organic precursor method. Metal benzoate dihydrazinate complexes were prepared by a simple in situ chemical method. The formed metal benzoate dihydrazinate complexes were decomposed at different temperatures to yield the corresponding metal oxides. The samples were characterized by FT-IR, TGA and DSC, powder XRD, DRS, SEM and EDAX. Thermal analysis (TGA and DSC) revealed the decomposition path of the metal benzoate dihydrazinate complexes. XRD analysis confirms the polycrystalline nature of samples with pure phase formation. SEM analysis shows that the formed metal oxide powders are spherical particles. EDX confirmed the presence of 7.5 wt.% of nitrogen in the cubic phase ZnTiO₃ . The optical studies were carried by recording diffuse reflectance spectra. Using Tauc’s relation (αhν)ⁿ = A(hν– E_g ) optical bandgap for nitrogen doped ZnTiO₃ was found to be 3.91 eV.