SnO2 electroceramics with various additives

The electrical properties of SnO2 based ceramics are enhanced by the addition of different substituents into the SnO2 lattice. For the composition containing 2.5 mol% Sb2O3 the highest value of the electrical conductivity was obtained. The mentioned composition has a SnO2 solid solution structure and presents semiconducting properties. In the present work, the influence of Sb2O3, CuSb2O6, CuO+Sb2O3, In2O3, CeO2 used in the same concentration as additives, on the structure and electrical properties of the SnO2 was studied. The phase composition analyzed by XRD, pointed out the formation of the SnO2 solid solution. When using In2O3, a mixture of phases is formed. The XRD results are confirmed by IR spectroscopy. The formation of rutile type structure is evidenced by the decreasing, up to disappearance, of SnO2 bands. The Seebeck coefficient values and the resistivity measurements results showed a semiconductive behavior, with a n-type electrical conductivity for all the samples.