DSC of silver-added indium-tin-oxide (ITO) transparent conductive materials

Chemical state of silver in the sintered silver-added ITO (indium-tin-oxide, tin-doped In2O3) ceramics was investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis and high-temperature DSC. The X-ray diffraction peaks of metallic silver were detected for the specimens with >ca. 1 at.% Ag (as indicated by Ag/(Ag+Sn+In)). High-temperature DSC detected an endothermic peak at ca. 960°C, which agreed with the melting point of metallic silver, and the exothermic peak during the cooling for all specimens. Therefore, chemical state of silver in the sintered silver-added ITO ceramics was interpreted as metallic.