Preparation and Electrical-Conductive Property of SnO<sub>2</sub>-Based Ceramics

Abstract

In this study, SnO2-based ceramics, with CuO as sintering aid and Sb2O3 as activator of the electrical conductivity, was obtained by pressure-less sintering at 1100°C ~ 1470°C. Addition of antimony leads to a higher densification temperature. Densification behavior and microstructure development are strongly dependant on CuO and Sb2O3. CuO gives rise to a liquid phase; Sb2O3 retards the formation of liquid phase and hinders the growth of grain. The electrical resistivities of SnO2-based ceramics vary in a wide range from 10-2 to 107 Ω•cm, depending on starting compositions and processing conditions. The electrical resistivities of samples with different amounts of CuO and Sb2O3 show different trends with the increasing of sintering temperature. The addition of antimony rapidly promotes electrical conductivity of SnO2-based ceramics containing CuO as the solid solution reaction of Sb2O3-SnO2. As the additions of CuO and Sb2O3 are the same, the electrical resistivity arrives the minimal value of 4.72×10-2 Ω•cm for 99%SnO2+0.5%CuO +0.5%Sb2O3 at 1470°C. More content of Sb2O3 than CuO causes the degression of density and the rising of electrical resistivity of ceramics.