A review on the designing of homogeneous multicomponent oxides via polymer complex method

Abstract

There have been a lot of interest in developing synthesis methods for the preparation of homogeneous multicomponent metal oxides for wide range of applications in the literature. One synthesis method of metal oxides was patented by Pechini in 1967, which involved an intermediate metal containing resin formation followed by calcination. Extensive research based on this patent took place over last few decades. However, many works in past would include confusions and contradictions among so called “sol–gel methods”, “co-precipitation methods” and “solution routes”. Even now, the confusion between the sol–gel method and the method described in the patent by Pechini prevails in the literatures. Interestingly, (i) the synthesis method described by Pechini is different from the so-called sol–gel methods, (ii) chemically, complex formation and polymerization reactions take place at the early stage and (iii) the performance of materials produced by this method is excellent for many applications. Herein, based on the extensive research, a scientific name such as the polymer complex (PC) method has been proposed. Furthermore, the general development and advancement of this method and recent advances in the area of thermoelectric, energy storage and photocatalytic materials preparation, respectively involving the PC method have been discussed.