A Comparative Investigation on the Structural, Optical and Electrical Properties of SiO2-Fe3O4 Core-Shell Nanostructures with Their Single Components

doi:10.1007/s40195-015-0328-3

Abstract

Abstract:

The SiO₂-Fe₃O₄ core-shell nanostructures were synthesized by sol-gel chemistry. The morphological features of the nanostructures were examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy which revealed the core-shell nature of the nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction studies evidenced the formation of SiO₂-Fe₃O₄ core-shell nanostructures with high degree of homogeneity. The elemental composition of the SiO₂-Fe₃O₄ core-shell nanostructures was determined by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed the Si-O-Fe stretching vibrations. On analysis of the optical properties with UV-Vis spectra and Tauc’s plot, it was found that the band gap of SiO₂-Fe₃O₄ core-shell nanostructures diminished to 1.5 eV. Investigation of the electrical properties of the core-shell nanostructures using field-dependent conductivity measurements presented a significant increase in photoconductivity as compared to those of its single components, thereby rendering them as promising candidates for application as photoelectrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells.

Key words: Nanostructures, Sol-gel chemistry, Optical properties, X-ray diffraction, Electrical properties

Neena Bachan, A. Asha, W. Jothi Jeyarani, D. Arun Kumar, J. Merline Shyla. A Comparative Investigation on the Structural, Optical and Electrical Properties of SiO₂-Fe₃O₄ Core-Shell Nanostructures with Their Single Components[J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2015, 28(11): 1317-1325.

Figures/Tables 12

Fig. 1 Illustrative representation of SiO2-Fe3O4 core-shell formation

Fig. 2 FE-SEM images of SiO2 a, Fe3O4, b SiO2-Fe3O4 core-shell c nanoparticles

Fig. 3 EDS spectra of Fe3O4 nanoparticles a, SiO2-Fe3O4 core-shell nanoparticles b

Fig. 4 XRD pattern of SiO2 nanoparticles

Fig. 5 XRD pattern of Fe3O4 nanoparticles

Fig. 6 XRD pattern of SiO2-Fe3O4 core-shell nanoparticles

Fig. 7 FTIR spectra of SiO2 nanoparticles a, Fe3O4 nanoparticles b, SiO2-Fe3O4 core-shell nanoparticles c

Fig. 8 UV spectrum a, optical band gap b of SiO2 nanoparticles

Fig. 9 UV spectrum a, optical band gap b of Fe3O4 nanoparticles

Fig. 10 UV spectrum a, optical band gap b of SiO2-Fe3O4 core-shell nanoparticles

Table 1 Optical band gap of as-synthesized samples

SiO₂	Fe₃O₄	SiO₂-Fe₃O₄ core-shell
3.8 eV	2.2 eV	1.5 eV

Fig. 11 Field-dependent conductivity of SiO2 nanoparticles a, Fe3O4 nanoparticles b, SiO2-Fe3O4 core-shell nanoparticles c

References 55

[1]	Q.F. Zhang, G.Z. Cao, Nano Today 6, 91 (2011)
[2]	A. Rajesh, M. Manivel Raja, K. Gurunathan, Acta Metall. Sin. (Engl. Lett.) 27, 253(2014)
[3]	K. Suchita, S.W. Gosavi, J. Urban, S.K. Kulkarni, Curr. Sci. 91, 1038(2006)
[4]	A. Emamdoust, S.F. Shayesteh, M. Marandi, Pramana J. Phys. 80, 713(2012)
[5]	B.O. Dabbousi, J. Rodriguez-Viejo, F.V. Mikulec, J.R. Heine, H. Mattoussi, R. Ober, K.F. Jensen, M.G. Bawendi, J. Phys. Chem. B 101, 9463 (1997)
[6]	M. Ethayaraja, C. Ravikumar, D. Muthukumaran, K. Dutta, R. Bandyopadhyaya, J. Phys. Chem. C 111, 3246 (2007)
[7]	K. Cendrowski, X. Chen, B. Zielinska, R.J. Kalenczuk, M.H. Rummeli, B. Buchner, R. Klingeler, E. Borowiak-Palen, J. Nanopart. Res. 13, 5899(2011)
[8]	B.J. Li, H.Q. Cao, J. Shao, M.Z. Qu, J.H. Warner, J. Mater. Chem. 21, 5069(2011)
[9]	T. Dung, T. Danh, L. Hoa, D.M. Chien, N.H. Duc, J. Exp. Nanosci. 4, 259(2009)
[10]	P. Liu, W. Zhong, H. Shi, D. Xue, J. Exp. Nanosci. 4, 323(2009)
[11]	M.E. Khosroshahi, L. Ghazanfari, M. Tahriri, J. Exp. Nanosci. 6, 580(2011)
[12]	J.M. Kima, S.M. Changa, S. Kimb, K.S. Kimc, J. Kimb, W.S. Kimb, Ceram. Int. 35, 1243(2009)
[13]	S. Son, S.H. Hwang, C. Kim, J.Y. Yun, J. Jang, A.C.S. Mater. Interfaces 5, 4815 (2013)
[14]	Y.J. Yao, S.D. Miao, S.M. Yu, L.P. Ma, H.Q. Sun, S.B. Wang, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 379, 20(2012)
[15]	E.S. Jang, J. Korean Chem. Soc. 56, 478(2012)
[16]	X.H. Liu, H.Y. Wu, F.L. Ren, G.Z. Qiu, M.T. Tang, Mater. Chem. Phys. 109, 5(2008)
[17]	H. Zeng, J. Li, Z.L. Wang, J.P. Liu, S.H. Sun, Nano Lett. 4, 187(2004)
[18]	Y. Tian, D. Wu, X. Jia, B.B. Yu, S.H. Zhan, J. Nanomater. 2011, 5(2011)
[19]	S. Kim, B. Fisher, H.J. Eisler, M. Bawendi, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 11466(2003)
[20]	P. Mallick, S. Sahu, Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 2, 71(2012)
[21]	Y. Dimitriev, Y. Ivanova, R. Iordanova, J. Univ. Chem. Technol. Metall. 43, 181(2008)
[22]	R.G. Chaudhuri, S. Paria, Chem. Rev. 112, 2373(2012)
[23]	S. Azimi, ISRN Nanotechnol. 2013, 815071(2013). doi:10.1155/2013/815071
[24]	J. Aguado, Appl. Catal. A 312, 202 (2006)
[25]	K.D. Arun, S.J. Merline, P.X. Francis, Appl. Nanosci. 2, 429(2012)
[26]	Z. Libor, Q. Zhang, C. Israel, N.D. Mathur, Mater. Sci. Technol. 25, 1307(2009)
[27]	D. Ponniah, F. Xavier, Phys. B 392, 20 (2007)
[28]	D.S. Yun, H.J. Kim, J.W. Yoo, Bull. Korean Chem. Soc. 26, 1927 (2005)
[29]	K.K. Siong, N.F. Amari, T.C. Yuan, S. Radiman, R. Yahaya, M.S. Yasir, Sains Malays. 42, 167(2013)
[30]	L. Sophie, F. Delphine, P. Marc, R. Alain, R. Caroline, V.E. Luce, N.M. Robert, Chem. Rev. 108, 2064 (2008)
[31]	K.F. Yu, Y.P. Guo, X.F. Ding, J.Z. Zhao, Z.C. Wang, J. Mater. Lett. 59, 4013(2005)
[32]	M.J. Chithra, M. Sathya, K. Pushpanathan, Acta Metall. Sin. (Engl. Lett.) 28, 394(2015)
[33]	K.D. Arun, X.J. Alex, S.J. Merline, P.X. Francis, J. Mater. Sci. 48, 3700(2013)
[34]	X.P. Zhang, W.Q. Jiang, X.L. Gong, Z. Zhang, J. Alloys Compd. 508, 400(2010)
[35]	V. Subramanian, D.W. Jeong, W.B. Han, W.J. Janq, J.O. Shim, J.W. Bae, H.S. Roh, New J. Chem. 38, 4872(2014)
[36]	O. ur Rahman, S.C. Mohapatra, S. Ahmad, Mater. Chem. Phys. 132, 196(2012)
[37]	F. Gu, S.F. Wang, M.K. Lu, G.J. Zhou, D. Xu, D.R. Yuan, J. Phys. Chem. B 108, 8119 (2004)
[38]	F. Márquez, T. Campo, M. Cotto, R. Polanco, R. Roque, P. Fierro, J.M. Sanz, E. Elizalde, C. Morant, Soft Nanosci. Lett. 1, 25(2011)
[39]	D.W. Wang, X.M. Zhu, S.F. Lee, H.M. Chan, H.W. Li, S.K. Kong, J.C. Yu, C.H.K. J. Mater. Chem. B 1, 2934 (2013)
[40]	L.Y. Wang, J. Luo, Q. Fan, M. Suzuki, I.S. Suzuki, M.H. Engelhard, Y.H. Lin, N. Kim, J.Q. Wang, C.J. Zhong, J. Phys. Chem. B 109, 21593 (2005)
[41]	A.M. Awwad, N.M. Salem, Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 2, 208(2012)
[42]	S.C.B. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 62, 3499 (1998)
[43]	S. Vaidya, P. Thaplyal, A.K. Ganguli, Nanoscale Res. Lett. 6, 169(2011)
[44]	N.R. Panda, D. Sahu, B.S. Acharya, P. Nayak, S.P. Pati, D. Das, Acta Metall. Sin. (Engl. Lett.) 27, 563(2014)
[45]	J.S. Bhaskar, G. Parthasarathy, N.C. Sarmah, Bull. Mater. Sci. 31, 775(2008)
[46]	M. Nikolić, K.P. Giannakopoulos, V.V. Srdić, Process. Appl. Ceram. 4, 81(2010)
[47]	G.M. Jorge, V.A. Guadaluper, W.G. Raúl, L.P.M. J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 8, 1(2008)
[48]	M.I. Amal, K.H. Kim, Chalcogenide Lett. 9, 345(2012)
[49]	H.S. Al-Salman, M.J. Abdullah, Acta Metall. Sin. (Engl. Lett.) 28, 230(2015)
[50]	A.A. Yelil, M. Hema, P. Tamilselvi, R. Anbarasan, Indian J. Sci. 1, 6(2012)
[51]	H.E.I. Int. J. Electrochem. Sci. 7, 5734(2012)
[52]	K.F. Lin, H.M. Cheng, H.C. Hsu, L.J. Lin, W.F. Hsieh, Chem. Phys. Lett. 409, 208(2005)
[53]	Milan P. Nikolic, Konstantinos P. Giannakopoulos, Dimosthenis Stamopoulos, Mater. Res. Bull. 47, 1513(2012)
[54]	M. Israelowitz, Syracuse University, 2013
[55]	F.P. Xavier, G.J. Goldsmith, Bull. Mater. Sci. 18, 283(1995)
	close

A Comparative Investigation on the Structural, Optical and Electrical Properties of SiO₂-Fe₃O₄ Core-Shell Nanostructures with Their Single Components

RichHTML

PDF (PC)

Knowledge

Abstract

Cite this article

share this article

Figures/Tables 12

References 55

Related Articles 15

Recommended Articles

Metrics

Comments

[1]	Ibrahim Ondicho, Bernard Alunda, Dicken Owino, Luke Otieno, Melody Chepkoech. Revealing a Transformation-Induced Plasticity (TRIP) Phenomenon in a Medium-Entropy Alloy [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2020, 33(8): 1159-1165.
[2]	Jagdish Kaur, Ramneek Kaur, S. K. Tripathi. Silver Dopant-Induced Effect on Structural and Optoelectronic Properties of CdSe Thin Films [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2019, 32(5): 541-549.
[3]	Kapil Sirohi, Suresh Kumar, Virender Singh, Anil Vohra. Synthesis and Characterization of CdO-SnO₂ Nanocomposites Prepared by Hydrothermal Method [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2018, 31(3): 254-262.
[4]	Wei Wang, Zong-Ning Chen, En-Yu Guo, Hui-Jun Kang, Yi Liu, Cun-Lei Zou, Ren-Geng Li, Guo-Mao Yin, Tong-Min Wang. Influence of Cryorolling on the Precipitation of Cu-Ni-Si Alloys: An In Situ X-ray Diffraction Study [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2018, 31(10): 1089-1097.
[5]	M. Santhiya, K.S. Pugazhvadivu, K. Tamilarasan, C. Rangasami. Influence of Sputtering Power on the Structure and Electrical Properties of Bi₂Fe₄O₉ Thin Films [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2017, 30(7): 650-658.
[6]	Xin Zhang, Jie-He Sui, Yong-Chao Lei, Wei Cai. Microstructure and Optical Properties of Ti_54.5Ni_45.5 Nanocrystalline Thin Film [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2017, 30(12): 1231-1235.
[7]	Ke-Chang Han, Guo-Qiang Lin, Chuang Dong, Kai-Ping Tai. Influence of Nitrogen Vacancy Concentration on Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Rocksalt Zirconium Nitride Films [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2017, 30(11): 1100-1108.
[8]	Ting-Ting Tan,Bang-Jie Liu,Zhi-Hui Wu,Zheng-Tang Liu. Annealing Effects on Structural, Optical Properties and Laser-Induced Damage Threshold of MgF₂ Thin Films [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2017, 30(1): 73-78.
[9]	Ning-Ning Li,Min-Zhi Wang,Yong-Sheng Li,Guang Chen,Pei Li. Corrosion Behavior of Fe-Al Coatings Fabricated by Pack Aluminizing Method [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2016, 29(9): 813-819.
[10]	A. Harizi, M. Ben Rabeh, M. Kanzari. Substrate Temperature-Dependent Physical Properties of Thermally Evaporated Sn₄Sb₆S₁₃ Thin Films [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2016, 29(1): 79-88.
[11]	A. T. Ravichandran, K. Dhanabalan, K. Ravichandran, R. Mohan, K. Karthika, A. Vasuhi, B. Muralidharan. Tuning the Structural and Optical Properties of SILAR-Deposited Cu₂O Films Through Zn Doping [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2015, 28(8): 1041-1046.
[12]	Rangasami Chinnusamy. Non-equilibrium Phases Formed in Cu-In-Se-Te System Synthesized by Melt-Quench Method [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2015, 28(5): 567-578.
[13]	Jagdish Kaur, S. K. Tripathi. Thermally and Optical-Induced Effect on Optical and Electrical Parameters of Ag-Doped CdSe Thin Films [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2015, 28(5): 591-599.
[14]	Yousra Fadhli, Adel Rabhi, Mounir Kanzari. Determination and Analysis of Optical Constant of Annealed Sn₂Sb₂S₅ Thin Films [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2015, 28(5): 656-662.
[15]	C. J. Ajayakumar, A. G. Kunjomana. Gamma Irradiation Effects in InBi_0.8Te_0.2 Crystals Grown by Horizontal Directional Freezing [J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2015, 28(10): 1205-1213.