Antimony Oxide Research Articles

Sub-25 nm Inorganic and Dielectric Nanopattern Arrays on Substrates: A Block Copolymer-Assisted Lithography.

A range of well-ordered inorganic (antimony, tin, and tungsten oxide) and dielectric (silica, alumina, and hafnia) nanoparticles and nanowire array patterns are created on substrates by a low-cost block copolymer (BCP) approach. A cylindrical-phase PS-b-PEO BCP is used as a template with hexagonally ordered perpendicular or parallel orientation of PEO cylinders. The solvent annealing parameters such as solvents, temperature, time, and so forth are optimized to achieve the desired patterns. An established BCP in situ inclusion protocol is utilized to achieve the material nanopatterns by spin coating the respective precursor ethanolic solution on the template followed by UV/ozone treatment for oxide conversion and polymer removal. Furthermore, the precursor solution concentrations and stirring times are calibrated to achieve isolated, well-ordered, and uniform-diameter and -thickness nanoparticles and nanowires. All of the material nanopatterns are mimicking the parent BCP nanopatterns. The phases of all of the nanopatterns are determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The inorganic and dielectric nanopattern arrays are patterned on a graphoepitaxial substrate for device application.

Study on antimony cake as a technogenic raw material for the production of antimony oxides

In the process of hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical production of antimony at the Kadamzhai antimony plant of the Kyrgyz Republic, large-tonnage waste was generated: tailing sand, matte, slag, off-balance ore, cakes, furnace fragments, and electrolytes in salt warehouses. The waste cake is poorly studied; accordingly, the elemental and phase compositions of antimony cake have not been established. In this regard, it was noted that antimony in the cake occurs in the form of calcium antimonate and antimony hydroxide. The content of antimony in the mine tailings cakes is from 3.53 to 4.4%, with a high content of iron (27.5%) and sodium (8.86%). Based on the established elemental and phase compositions, a chemical matrix of antimony cake was compiled. The equilibrium compositions were calculated and the concentration distribution of the main elements of the cake (Fe, Na, Si, Sb) and their compounds in the gas phase was found depending on the temperature of the destruction of the solid phase. It was found that condensed antimony oxides are formed in the range of 1098 - 1348 K. Taking into account the range of temperatures for decomposition of the solid phase, a two-stage smelting of antimony cake is proposed (melting and cupellation). The conversion of antimony cake sulfides from the gas phase into a solution was carried out based on a study of the system: antimony sulfide- manganese (IV) dioxide- sulfuric acid - sodium chloride. The pH value and the redox potential (Eh) of the solution were calculated. It is noted that the sulfur compounds of antimony from the cake are converted to antimony oxychloride with the formation of antimony (III) oxide in an alkaline medium. The use of sodium chloride as a chlorinating agent of antimony sulfur compounds does not lead to the formation of toxic phosgene and hydrogen sulfide; in the solid phase, elemental sulfur is released, which is important for minimizing the technogenic load of pollutants on the environment.

Preparation and Study the Electrical and Optical Properties for (PVA-PEG-Sr2O3) Nanocomposites

In the presented work, the optical and electrical properties of composite materials (PVA-PEG-Sr2O3) were measured, as the electrical properties were verified at various frequencies in range of 100 Hz-6 MHz. In addition, the experimental results showed that the increase in frequency causes a reduction in the dielectric loss (δ) and dielectric constant (ɛ), and there is an increase in ɛ due to the increase in the content of antimony oxide (Sr2O3). It increases with increasing frequency and decreases with increasing Sr2O3 content in PVA-PEG-Sr2O3 compounds, the result of the optical properties of the nanoparticles (PVA-PEG-Sr2O3) showed that the values transmittance and energy gap were reduced with the increases in the concentrations of Sr2O3 NPs, whereas the values related to extinction coefficient, absorption coefficient, optical conductivity, refractive index, and dielectric constant (imaginary, real) were increased with increase in the concentration of Sr2O3 NPs.

Synthesis and characterizations of iron antimony oxide nanoparticles and its applications in electrochemical detection of carbendazim in apple juice and paddy water samples

This study reports a facile sonohydrolysis synthesis route to prepare the iron antimony oxide (FeSbO4) nanoparticles for the trace level electrochemical sensing of fungicide carbendazim (CRBZ). As prepared FeSbO4 nanoparticles show a nano-cubes-like morphology with uniform distributions that crystallized in the tetragonal phase. The diffraction studies reveal that the FeSbO4 nanoparticles have high crystallinity and high purity. Furthermore, the other structural properties and morphology are characterized by XRD, Raman, XPS, HRTEM, and FESEM analysis. The electrochemical characterizations of FeSbO4 modified GCE towards the detection of CRBZ are performed by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques. The FeSbO4/GCE exhibits a linear range from 0.01 µmol L−1 to 64.3 µmol L−1, the sensitivity of 0.68 µA cm−2 µM−1, and the LOD of 5.4 nmol L−1. Moreover, the FeSbO4/GCE delivered high selectivity among the possibly interfering compounds. Also, our projected FeSbO4/GCE electrode material shows good recoveries in apple juice and paddy water real samples.

Antimony distribution and mobility in different types of waste derived from the exploitation of stibnite ore deposits

Wastes derived from the exploitation of stibnite ore deposits were studied to determine their mineralogical, chemical, and environmental characteristics and establish the Sb distribution and the current and long-term risks of Sb mobilization. Representative samples of mine waste rocks, mine tailings, and smelting waste were studied by X-ray powder diffraction, polarized light microscopy, electron microprobe analysis, and digestion, leaching, and extraction procedures. The main Sb-bearing minerals and phases identified in the smelting waste were natrojarosite, iron (oxyhydr)oxides, mixtures of iron and antimony (oxyhydr)oxides, and tripuhyite; those in the mine tailings and mine waste rocks were iron (oxyhydr)oxides and/or mixtures of iron and antimony (oxyhydr)oxides. Iron (oxyhydr)oxides and natrojarosite had high Sb contents, with maximum values of 16.51 and 9.63 wt% Sb2O5, respectively. All three types of waste were characterized as toxic; the mine waste rocks and mine tailings would require pretreatment to decrease their leachable Sb content before they would be acceptable at hazardous waste landfills. Relatively little of the Sb was in desorbable forms, which accounted for <0.01 and <0.8% of the total Sb content in the smelting waste and mine waste rocks/mine tailings, respectively. Under reducing conditions, further Sb mobilization from mine waste rocks and mine tailings could occur (up to 4.6 and 3.3% of the total content, respectively), considerably increasing the risk that Sb will be introduced into the surroundings. Although the smelting waste had the highest total Sb content, it showed the lowest risk of Sb release under different environmental conditions. The significant Fe levels in the smelting waste facilitated the formation of various Fe compounds that greatly decreased the Sb mobilization from these wastes.

Utilizing the unique charge extraction properties of antimony tin oxide nanoparticles for efficient and stable organic photovoltaics

Simultaneously enhancing device performance and longevity, as well as balancing the requirements on cost, scalability, and simplification of processing, is the goal of interface engineering of organic solar cells (OSCs). In our work, we strategically introduce antimony (Sb 3+ ) cations into an efficient and generic n-type SnO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) host during the scalable flame spray pyrolysis synthesis. Accordingly, a significant switch of conduction property from an n-type character to a p-type character is observed, with a corresponding shift in the work function (WF) from 4.01 ± 0.02 eV for pristine SnO 2 NPs to 5.28 ± 0.02 eV for SnO 2 NPs with 20 mol. % Sb content (ATO). Both pristine SnO 2 and ATO NPs with fine-tuned optoelectronic properties exhibit remarkable charge carrier extraction properties, excellent UV resistance and photo-stability being compatible with various state-of-the-art OSCs systems. The reliable and scalable pristine SnO 2 and ATO NPs processed by doctor-blading in air demand no complex post-treatment. Our work offers a simple but unique approach to accelerate the development of advanced interfacial materials, which could circumvent the major existing interfacial problems in solution-processed OSCs. • Introducing antimony cations to effectively dope the n-type SnO 2 nanoparticles. • In-depth characterization of the cation doping effect and mechanisms. • Validation of the generic applicability of the p-type doped nanoparticles for organic photovoltaic applications. • Demonstrating efficient and stable organic solar cells based on state-of-the-art organic photovoltaic materials.

Cycling Characteristics of Tubular Liquid Antimony Anode Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Prepared by Atmospheric Plasma Spraying

Liquid antimony anode solid oxide fuel cell (LAA-SOFC) is a promising technology for efficient conversion of solid carbon and hydrocarbon fuels. However, the operating process and the regeneration method of the fuel cells with LAAs are different from those with solid anodes and still need to be investigated. In the present research, a tubular LAA-SOFC unit was fabricated by atmospheric plasma spraying based on a stainless-steel support. The LAA-SOFC was cycled by a furnace control method and a “hot plug” method to simulate the normal start-stop and the anode/cell replacement processes, respectively. Scarce degradation was observed after the cycles with phase change, redox and temperature variation, which demonstrated the robustness of the sprayed electrolyte to the anode changes. The air leakage and the floating ash retarded the recovery rate of the “hot plug” cycles, but have no influence on the degradation degree. The cycling characteristics in the present research proved the long-term operating feasibility of SOFC with LAA.

Study on the effect of tin and antimony oxide interlayer on the performance of titanium-based manganese dioxide anode

Tin-antimony interlayer and manganese dioxide active catalytic coating were prepared on titanium plate by coating and thermal decomposition. The load of interlayer and calcination temperature were selected as the influencing factors for univariate experiment. The seen morphology of the electrode was explored by SEM. The electrocatalytic performance and oxygen evolution mechanism were analyzed by testing the cyclic voltammetry curve, oxygen evolution polarization curve and AC impedance graph, the optimal preparation conditions of the Ti-Mno2 anode interlayer were obtained.

Serotonin electrochemical detection in tomatoes at MWCNT-AONP nanocomposite modified electrode

This work reports on the successful synthesis of antimony oxide nanoparticles (AONPs) by hydrothermal method, acid treatment of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs), and fabrication of a MWCNT-AONP nanocomposite on screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE) to detect serotonin (5-HT) in tomatoes. The synthesized nanomaterials were all characterized with x-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electro-analytic and electrocatalytic experiments were performed utilizing square wave voltammetry (SWV) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) methods. The SPCE-MWCNT-AONP modified electrodes showed better electron transport and improved current response towards detection of 5-HT when compared to other electrodes studied. The current response decreased in this manner, the SPCE-MWCNT-AONP (84.13 μA) > SPCE-fMWCNTs (33.49 μA) > SPCE-AONPs (24.40 μA) > SPCE-bare (2.89 μA). The sensitivity, limit of detection (LoD) and limit of quantification (LoQ) for the SPCE-MWCNT-AONP modified electrode towards 5-HT detection was 0.2863 μA μM−1, 24 .6 nM, and 74 nM respectively, with linearity from 0.016–0.166 μM (R2 = 0.9851) utilizing SWV. The acquired LoD value for the proposed sensor compared favorably with other chemically modified electrodes from literature. Furthermore, the proposed sensor showed good reproducibility and excellent anti-interference behavior. Real-sample analysis of 5-HT in tomatoes showed excellent recoveries ranging from 91.32 to 108.28%, with an average RSD (%) value of 2.57 (n = 3). The obtained results strongly suggest that the proposed novel sensor could be applicable in diagnosing point-of-care diseases and therapeutics.

High-k 2D Sb2O3 Made Using a Substrate-Independent and Low-Temperature Liquid-Metal-Based Process

High dielectric constant (high-k) ultrathin films are required as insulating gate materials. The well-known high-k dielectrics, including HfO2, ZrO2, and SrTiO3, feature three-dimensional lattice structures and are thus not easily obtained in the form of distinct ultrathin sheets. Therefore, their deposition as ultrathin layers still imposes challenges for electronic industries. Consequently, new high-k nanomaterials with k in the range of 40 to 100 and a band gap exceeding 4 eV are highly sought after. Antimony oxide nanosheets appear as a potential candidate that could fulfill these characteristics. Here, we report on the stoichiometric cubic polymorph of 2D antimony oxide (Sb2O3) as an ideal high-k dielectric sheet that can be synthesized via a low-temperature, substrate-independent, and silicon-industry-compatible liquid metal synthesis technique. A bismuth-antimony alloy was produced during the growth process. Preferential oxidation caused the surface of the melt to be dominated by α-Sb2O3. This ultrathin α-Sb2O3 was then deposited onto desired surfaces via a liquid metal print transfer. A tunable sheet thickness between ∼1.5 and ∼3 nm was achieved, while the lateral dimensions were within the millimeter range. The obtained α-Sb2O3 exhibited high crystallinity and a wide band gap of ∼4.4 eV. The relative permittivity assessment revealed a maximum k of 84, while a breakdown electric field of ∼10 MV/cm was observed. The isolated 2D α-Sb2O3 nanosheets were utilized in top-gated field-effect transistors that featured low leakage currents, highlighting that the obtained material is a promising gate oxide for conventional and van der Waals heterostructure-based electronics.

Antimony-doped lead oxide nanoparticles synthesized via using chemical precipitation and annealing treatments: structural and optical properties

Lead antimony oxide nanoparticles (Pb1-xSbxO NPs) were synthesized by chemical precipitation and annealing treatments. The structural and optical properties of undoped and various Sb3+ -doped PbO NPs were investigated. The tetragonal phase of -PbO was found for both before and after various Sb3+ doping. The lattice parameters decreased for the 1.0 – 5.0 wt% Sb3+ doping, which indicated the increase of internal defects, but tends to an amorphization with exceeding 5.0 wt%. The overall band gap (Eg) values after Sb3+ doping (1.071.76 eV) are lower than undoped PbO (2.35 eV). These findings indicate a promising material for window layer fabrication and an absorber material for solar cell applications.

Nickel antimony oxide (NiSb2O6) nanofibers: amorphization and electrocatalytic nitrogen fixation under ambient conditions

Electrocatalytic Nitrogen Reduction (NRR) under ambient conditions is a potential alternative artificial nitrogen fixation approach to the costly and unsustainable Haber-Bosch process. To realize the practical applications of NRR, it is necessary to develop cost-effective, high-activity electrocatalysts. In this paper, we report amorphous CeO2 doped NIiSb2O6 nanofibers as cathode for electrocatalytic NRR. The CeO2 doping exhibits a remarkable synergistic superiority with appropriate annealing temperature, inducing the transforming of NiSb2O6 into amorphous. Amorphous CeO2 doped NIiSb2O6 nanofibers benefit from the intrinsic defects of amorphization, showing outstanding electrocatalytic NRR performance with high average yield (NH3: 1.44 × 10-11mol s-1 cm-2, Faradaic efficiency: 12.47%). This work offers a novel approach to optimize the NH3 yields and Faradaic efficiencies by tuning the crystallinity of NRR electrocatalyst.

Effect of MgO•Sb&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;5 &lt;/sub&gt;on Fire Resistance and Physical and Mechanical Properties of Cable PVC-Plasticate

Based on magnesium carbonate and antimony oxide (V), MgO•Sb2O5 was obtained. In the formulation of fire-resistant cable PVC-plasticate, antimony (III) oxide was replaced by MgO•Sb2O5 and the fire resistance and physical and mechanical properties of the resulting compound were investigated. It is shown that the replacement of antimony (III) oxide in the composition of PVC cable compound MgO•Sb2O5 leads to the production of a compound that is not inferior in its characteristics to the original plastic compound. In particular, the fire resistance of cable PVC-plasticate, standard industrial formulation and with the obtained MgO•Sb2O5, is practically the same (OI=32%). It has been established that the physical and mechanical characteristics of the cable compound, when replacing antimony oxide (III) with MgO•Sb2O5 in the formulation, remain at the level of the original compound, while MgO×Sb2O5 will have a less negative impact on the environment.

Effect of O2/Ar ratio and sputtering power on the photoelectric properties of antimony doped tin oxide films on ZnO layer

Effect of O2/Ar ratio and sputtering power on the photoelectric properties of antimony doped tin oxide films on ZnO layer

Preparation and Analysis of Functional Silicone Hydrogel Lenses Containing ZrO₂ and Antimony Tin Oxide Nanoparticles.

This study prepared silicone hydrogel ophthalmic lenses using 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA), synthesized silicone monomer (SID), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide (HEA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (a crosslinking agent, EGDMA), and azobisisobutyronitrile (an initiator, AIBN). Also, Zirconium oxide (ZrO₂), antimony tin oxide (ATO) nanoparticles were added to the silicone hydrogel material to analyze the characteristics of the nanoparticles. The mixture was heated at 130 °C for 2 hours to produce the ophthalmic contact lens by cast mould method. As a result, the manufactured silicone hydrogel lens was prepared having high oxygen permeability and tensile strength while satisfying the basic requirements of ophthalmic hydrogel lens materials. Also, the addition of ZrO₂ NPs increased tensile strength of the manufactured lens, and ATO NPs were found to improve wettability. Therefore, ZrO₂ and ATO nanoparticles can be used effectively as additives for functional ophthalmic silicone hydrogel lenses.

Mechanical reinforcement course of 3D printed polypropylene–antimony doped Tin Oxide nanocomposites versus filler loading

Three-dimensional (3D) printed polypropylene (PP) structures mechanically reinforced with antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) nanoparticles (NPs) at various concentrations were developed and fully characterized. Nanocomposite filaments were produced by an optimized melt mixing and extrusion process, utilized as feedstock for the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) of specimens. Samples were 3D printed and assessed via mechanical, viscoelastic, physicochemical, and fractographic characterizations. Raman spectroscopy verified the polymer structure and the incorporated ATO nanocrystallites in the polymer matrix. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) of the nanocomposite extruded filaments revealed the nanoscale roughness induced by the ATO NPs. All nanocomposite 3D printed structures exhibited enhanced mechanical performance. Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) revealed a stiffening mechanism for the nanocomposites, agreeing with the static tests. This work demonstrates that commercially available PP reinforced with ATO NPs, maybe a solution for applications requiring enhanced material’s static and dynamic mechanical properties.

Applying surface-sensitive techniques to structural and chemical study of uncapped Sn-Sb-Te thin film. A density functional theory - based study

We present here a combined experimental and theoretical study of the structural and chemical properties of polycrystalline Sn-Sb-Te film with nominal composition SnSb2Te4 grown by pulsed laser deposition technique on mylar substrate. From the experimental side, surface-sensitive techniques as x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), grazing incidence x-ray diffractometry (GIXRD) and 119mSn integral conversion electron Möβbauer spectroscopy (ICEMS) have been applied to the study of the film at room-temperature and under normal conditions of pressure. GIXRD showed that the Sn-Sb-Te film adopted a NaCl- type structure (Fm-3m), and in the detection limits, no other crystalline phase was revealed. ICEMS technique unambiguously indicated the coexistence of two different tin fractions: Sn(II), as expected for the SnSb2Te4 phase, and Sn(IV), suggesting oxidation of tin. Chemical in-depth profile obtained by means of XPS suggests the oxidation of all the constituent atoms at the topmost layers of the film and the progressive depletion of tin and antimony oxides going depth in the film. The in-depth atomic concentration profiles also reveals a notorious deficiency of Te in the sample. Theoretically, density functional theory-based calculations (assuming that the Sn-Sb-Te film adopts the Fm-3m structure) support the hypothesis that Te - vacancies sites are occupied by oxygen atoms during the natural oxidation process of Sn-Sb-Te film. Additionally, our calculations demonstrated that only the substitution of Te atoms by oxygen ones induces a semiconducting behavior of the otherwise metallic Sn-Sb-Te host.

Overcoming the Challenges of Freestanding Tin Oxide‐Based Composite Anodes to Achieve High Capacity and Increased Cycling Stability

AbstractFreestanding electrodes are a promising way to increase the energy density of the batteries by decreasing the overall amount of electrochemically inactive materials. Freestanding antimony doped tin oxide (ATO)‐based hybrid materials have not been reported so far, although this material has demonstrated excellent performance in conventionally designed electrodes. Two different strategies, namely electrospinning and freeze‐casting, are explored for the fabrication of ATO‐based hybrid materials. It is shown that the electrospinning of ATO/carbon based electrodes from polyvinyl pyrrolidone polymer (PVP) solutions was not successful, as the resulting electrode material suffers from rapid degradation. However, freestanding reduced graphene oxide (rGO) containing ATO/C/rGO nanocomposites prepared via a freeze‐casting route demonstrates an impressive rate and cycling performance reaching 697 mAh g−1 at a high current density of 4 A g−1, which is 40 times higher as compared to SnO2/rGO and also exceeds the freestanding SnO2‐based composites reported so far. Antimony doping of the nanosized tin oxide phase and carbon coating are thereby shown to be essential factors for appealing electrochemical performance. Finally, the freestanding ATO/C/rGO anodes are combined with freestanding LiFe0.2Mn0.8PO4/rGO cathodes to obtain a full freestanding cell operating without metal current collector foils showing nonetheless an excellent cycling stability.

Capacitive properties of novel Sb-doped Co3O4 electrode material synthesized by hydrothermal method

We are reporting here a novel antimony doped cobalt oxide based electrode material for supercapacitor application to overcome the current scenario of energy crises by offering excellent capacitive abilities. A facile hydrothermal route was employed to produce this antimony doped cobalt oxide material by varying content value of antimony in the range of 2–6 at. %. The X-ray diffraction results have successfully explored the cubic crystal structure along with phase composition of these as obtained Sb doped Co3O4 materials. The development of sub-micron sized structures-based material was explored by obtaining scanning electron microscopic images. The energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy results have shown the highly pure nature of as obtained material. Cyclic voltammogram results have exhibited that among the SbCo-0, SbCo-2, SbCo-4 and SbCo-6 materials, SbCo-4 has exhibited higher specific capacitance value i.e 894.15 F/g than remaining, which was obtained by scanning the material at the scan rate of 5 mV/s. More significantly, Galvanostatic charge-discharge profiles obtained at different scan rates ranging from 1 to 10 A/g, for SbCo-4 material has shown even good capacitance retention i.e 75.70% at higher sweep rate, equal to 10 A/g. On the basis of electrochemical impedance spectroscopic analysis, it is concluded that this material has also shown excellent conductive properties. Furthermore, after performing 3000 galvanostatic charge-discharge cycles, it is concluded that this material can possessed an excellent cycling stability equal to 82.02%. All these excellent capacitive properties shown by this material have suggested that it can be proved as a potential applicant in the field of energy storage devices.

The effect of UV-C irradiation and EDTA on the uptake of Co2+ by antimony oxide in the presence and absence of competing cations Ca2+ and Ni2+

In nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities the removal of cobalt from radioactive liquid waste is needed to reduce the radioactivity concentration in effluents. In liquid wastes containing strong organic complexing agents such as EDTA cobalt removal can be problematic due to the high stability of the Co-EDTA complex. In this study, the removal of cobalt from NaNO3 solutions using antimony oxide (Sb2O3) synthesized from potassium hexahydroxoantimonate was investigated in the absence and presence of EDTA. The uptake studies on the ion exchange material were conducted both in the dark (absence of UV-light) and under UV-C irradiation. Ca2+ or Ni2+ were included in the experiments as competing cations to test the selectivity of the ion exchanger. Results show that UV-C irradiation noticeably enhances the cobalt sorption efficiency on the antimony oxide. It was shown that nickel decreased the sorption of cobalt to a higher extent than calcium. Finally, the sorption data collected for Co2+ on antimony oxide was modeled using six different isotherm models. The Sips model was found to be the most suitable model to describe the sorption process. The Dubinin-Radushkevich model was further used to calculate the adsorption energy, which was found to be 6.2 kJ mol−1.