Effect of heat treatment on the dispersity of Sn(IV)—Sb—O powders and the porosity of thick-film gas sensors based on them

Abstract

A study is made of how the granulometric composition and porosity of powders of solid solutions in the system Sn(IV)−Sb−O is affected by the conditions of precipitation of mixtures of tin hydroxide and antimony hydroxide and the heat-treatment temperature. Powders of tin and antimony hydroxides have a microporous structure and a high (≥200 m2/g) specific surface. Heat treatment above 870 K forms Sn1−xSbxO2 solid solutions, this being accompanied by an increase in the size of the particles and transformation of the microporous structure to a mesoporous structure. An increase in the antimony content of the solid solutions helps form finer powders. A examination is made of the parameters of the pore structure of bulk specimens of semiconductor gas sensors obtained by heat-treating mixtures of powders of solid solutions and ultrafine clay.