Author(s)

Rakesh Kurre, Sharmila Bajpai, Parmendra Kumar Bajpai^*

Department of Pure & Applied Physics, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur, India.

Alkaline earth stannates have renewed attention as potential materials for gas sensing, transparent conducting oxides and ceramic capacitor applications. A noble wet chemical route is chosen to synthesize BaSnO₃ powders having micron size grains. Problems related to uneven grains and poor densification in conventional solid state route have been overcome in the present method. X-ray diffraction data confirms the single phase formation without any secondary phase having cubic perovskite structure (S.G. Pm-3m). The estimated lattice parameter is ≈4.11933Å and percentage density is ≈90%. The microstructure probed by scanning electron micrograph reveals almost homogeneously distributed particles having random shape with some porosity. Phonon modes in FT-IR and Raman spectra confirm the local symmetry distortion. The DC conductivity at 200°C approaches almost 2 × 10^-2 (Ω-cm)^-1, which is almost of the same order as that observed in perovskite based electronic conductors. DC and a.c. electrical conductivity of the material follow Mott’s variable range hopping at low temperature and Arrhenius type thermally activated process at elevated temperatures. Evidence of small polar on formation is also verified. Optical band gap estimated from absorption data is ≈2.94 very close to the reported value. Composition prepared through the noble wet chemical route has high electrical conduction and suitable for gas sensing applications.

X-Ray Diffraction, Raman Spectra, Variable Range Hopping, Phonons

Kurre, R. , Bajpai, S. and Bajpai, P. (2018) Synthesis, Characterization, Optical and Transport Properties of BaSnO₃ Synthesized by Wet Chemical Route. Materials Sciences and Applications, 9, 92-110. doi: 10.4236/msa.2018.91007.