Abstract
The microstructure, electrical properties and gas-sensing characteristics of Sb-doped α-Fe2O3 were investigated. Powder precursors with Sb/Fe = 0–0.1 were prepared by chemical coprecipitation method. Sb-doped α-Fe2O3 powders were characterized by means of thermal gravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET surface area and scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was found that the raw powders underwent crystallization into the corundum structure of α-Fe2O3 at a temperature which increased somewhat with increasing Sb content; a proper amount of Sb do** suppressed both crystallite growth and the formation of hard agglomerates. The do** of Sb2O3 decreased the sensor resistance by one order of magnitude and increased the sensitivities to some hydrocarbon gases markedly. The former can be attributed to the substitution of Sb5+ for Fe3+ sites in α-Fe2O3 generating more free electrons; the latter is closely related to Sb-doped samples accommodating a higher density of chemisorbed oxygen.
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Tianshu, Z., Hing, P. & Ruifang, Z. Improvements in α-Fe2O3 ceramic sensors for reducing gases by addition of Sb2O3. Journal of Materials Science 35, 1419–1425 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004771216935
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004771216935