We investigated the influence of soaking time on the semi-conductivity and nonlinear electrical properties of TiO2- based varistor ceramic samples. We used a single sintering process and fabricated six disk samples of （Sr, Bi, Si, Ta）-doped TiO2- based varistor ceramics sintered at 1 250℃ for 0.5 h, 1.0 h, 2.0 h, 3.0 h, 4.0 h, and 5.0 h, respectively. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, breakdown voltage, and complex impedance. The results show that as the soaking time increases from 0.5 h to 5.0 h, the breakdown voltage drops before rising while the nonlinear coefficient increases and then decreases. We suggest that, considering both grain semi-conductivity and nonlinear electrical properties of the TiO2-based varistor ceramics, the optimal soaking time is between 2.0 h and 3.0 h.
Ag-TiO2 nanostructured thin films with silver volume fraction of 0–20% were deposited on silicon and quartz substrates by RF magnetron sputtering and annealed in ambient air at 950°C for 1 h. The phase structure and surface topography of the films were characterized by X-ray diffractometer and transmission electron microscope. Photocatalytic activity of the films was evaluated by light induced degradation of methyl orange (C14H14N3NaO3S) solution using a high pressure mercury lamp as lamp-house. The relation of photocatalytic activity and silver content was studied in detail. It was found that silver content influences phase structure of TiO2 thin films, and silver in the films is metallic Ag (Ag0). With increasing silver content from 0 to 20 vol%, photocatalytic activity of the films increases first and then decreases. A suitable amount (2.5–5 vol%) silver addition can significantly enhance the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 films. The enhanced photocatalytic activity was mainly attributed to the extension of visible light absorption region of the films, the presence of anatase phase, the increase of oxy-gen anion radicals O2? and reactive center of surface Ti3+, and the better separation between electrons and holes on the films surface.
Undoped and Na-doped ZnO films were deposited by sol-gel method.The effects of sodium incorporation on structure,surface morphology and optical constants of the films were investigated.X-ray diffraction patterns show the hexagonal wurtzite polycrystalline structure and that the sodium incorporation leads to the change in the structural characteristics of ZnO films.The SEM observations show that the surface morphology of the films is affected by the sodium incorporation.The transmission spectra show that the average transmittance of the films is above 85% in the visible range.The absorption edge initially blue-shifts and then red-shifts with the increase of Na doping content.The optical constants of these films were calculated using transmission spectra.Refractive indices of the films in the visible range decrease at first and then increase with increasing Na doping content.
