Sintering behavior of IZO ceramic targets prepared using hydrothermally synthesized Zn-doped In2O3 nanoparticles

Abstract Zn-doped In2O3 composite nanoparticles were synthesized by precipitation/hydrothermal processing in the pH range of 5–11 and at the reaction temperature of 180°C. The precursor solution used to prepare these nanoparticles was composed of In(NO3)3 and ZnSO4·7H2O, mixed at the In:Zn atomic ratios of 1:1, 1.5:1, and 2.5:1. The effects of In:Zn atomic ratio and pH on the morphology and phase composition of the composite nanoparticles were investigated in detail using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a transmission electron micrograph (TEM), and an X-ray diffraction (XRD) system. The obtained results show that under alkaline conditions (pH 9–11), the nanoparticles exhibit cubic morphology. However, at pH 7, the morphology is sheet-like. Based on XRD analyses, the Zn content in hydrothermally processed nanoparticles is highest when the pH of the precursor solution is 7. Assessments of sintering behavior demonstrate that the IZO ceramic targets sintered at 1550°C for 20 h are composed of In2O3 and Zn3In2O6 phases, with uniform grain morphology and size distribution.