EFFECT OF CALCINATION ON THE ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES AND QUANTUM CONFINEMENT OF FE2O3 NANOPARTICLES

S. I. Srikrishna Ramya, C. K. Mahadevan

Abstract: Fe2O3 nanoparticles have been prepared by a simple solvothermal method using a domestic microwave oven. X-ray powder diffraction measurement indicates the amorphous nature of the as-prepared sample. Calcined samples were obtained by annealing the as-prepared sample at different temperatures, viz. 400, 500, 600 and 700oC. Transmission electron microscopic images indicate that all the five samples are spherical in shape. AC electrical measurements were carried out on pelletized samples by the parallel plate capacitor method at various temperatures ranging from 40-130oC and frequencies ranging from 100 Hz -1 MHz. Results indicate low AC electrical conductivities and consequently show the occurrence of nano confined states. The exciton Bohr radii obtained from the dielectric constant values at 40oC temperature and 1 kHz frequency are 41.8, 54.8, 55.3, 56.3 and 27.0 respectively for the asprepared sample and samples calcined at 400, 500, 600 and 700oC which indicate a strong quantum confinement effect. The impedance spectra observed exhibit non-ideal behavior.

Keywords: Semiconductors, Magnetic materials, Nanoparticles, Electrical properties

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2014.0303107