Facile synthesis of nanocrystalline Cr₂O₃ thin film

Abstract

A novel and facile synthesis route for the manufacture of transparent and uniform self-assembled nanocrystalline Cr₂O₃ (nc-Cr₂O₃) thin films with different morphology was reported, utilizing chromium nitrate as the inorganic source and triblock copolymer F127 as the morphology-directing agent by the evaporation-induced assembly (EIA) method. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), N₂-sorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the as-prepared nc-Cr₂O₃ thin films. The Cr₂O₃ thin film with different morphology was obtained by changing the relative humidity. The possible formation mechanism of the nc-Cr₂O₃ thin films with different morphologies was discussed.

Keywords

microstructure / Cr₂O₃ / thin film

References

[1] Hu J., Li H., Huang X. J., . Improve the Electrochemical Performances of Cr₂O₃ Anode for Lithium Ion Batteries [J]. Solid State Ionics, 2006, 177: 2 791-2 799.

[2] Uhm J. -H., Shin M. -Y., Jiang Z. -D., . Selective Oxidation of H2S to Elemental Sulfur over Chromium Oxide Catalysts [J]. Appl. Catal. B, 1999, 22: 293-303.

[3] Kim D. -W., Shin I. S., Lee J. -D., . Preparation of Chromia Nanoparticles by Precipitation-gelation Reaction [J]. Mater. Lett., 2004, 58: 1 894-1 898.

[4] Li J.-T., Mauricea V., Swiatowska-Mrowieckaa J., . XPS, Time-of-flight-SIMS and Polarization Modulation IRRAS Study of Cr₂O₃ Thin Film Materials as Anode for Lithium Ion Battery [J]. Electrochim. Acta, 2009, 54: 3 700-3 707.

[5] Vollath D., Szabó D. V., Willis J. O. Magnetic Properties of Nanocrystalline Cr2O3 Synthesized in a Microwave Plasma [J]. Mater. Lett., 1996, 29: 271-279.

[6] Zhang L. D., Mo C. M., Cai W. L., . Characterizations of Optical Absorption in Porous Al₂O₃-Cr₂O₃ Nanocomposites [J]. Nanostruct. Mater., 1997, 9: 563-566.

[7] Pei Z. Z., Xu H. B., Zhang Y. Preparation of Cr₂O₃ Nanoparticles via C₂H₅OH Hydrothermal Reduction [J]. J. Alloys Compd., 2009, 468: L5-L8.

[8] Sun J. P., Tang K., Yu X. Q., . Overpotential and Electrochemical Impedance Analysis on Cr₂O₃ Thin Film and Powder Electrode in Rechargeable Lithium Batteries [J]. Solid State Ionics, 2008, 179: 2 390-2 395.

[9] Miyauchi M., Nakajima A., Watanabe T., . Photocatalysis and Photoinduced Hydrophilicity of Various Metal Oxide Thin Films [J]. Chem. Mater., 2002, 14: 2 812-2 816.

[10] Li L., Yan Z. F., Lu G. Q., . Synthesis and Structure Characterization of Chromium Oxide Prepared by Solid Thermal Decomposition Reaction [J]. J. Phys. Chem. B, 2006, 110: 178-183.

[11] Unveren E., Kemnitz E., Hutton S., . Analysis of Highly Resolved X-ray Photoelectron Cr 2p Spectra Obtained with a Cr₂O₃ Powder Sample Prepared with Adhesive Tape [J]. Surf. Interface Anal., 2004, 36: 92-95.

[12] Chambers S. A., Droubay T. Role of Oxide Ionicity in Electronic Screening at Oxide/Metal Interfaces [J]. Phys. Rev. B, 2001, 64: 075410

[13] Alexandridis P., Olsson U., Lindman B. Modification of the Microstructure in Block Copolymer-Water-“Oil” Systems by Varying the Copolymer Composition and the “Oil” Type: Small-Angle X-ray Scattering and Deuterium-NMR Investigation [J]. J. Phys. Chem. B, 1998, 102: 1 149-1 158.