Semiconductors, disordered metal oxides

The experimental studies of the surface properties of monocrystals of oxides of various metals recently conducted at well-controlled conditions [32, 210] enable one to proceed with detailed analysis of separate effects of various factors on characteristics of semiconductor gas sensors. In this direction numerous interesting results have been obtained regarding the fact of various electrophysical characteristics of monocrystalline adsorbents on the value of adsorption-related response. Among these characteristics there are crystallographic orientation of facets [211], availability of structural defects, the disorder in stoichiometry [32], application of metal additives, etc. These results are very useful while manufacturing sensors for specific gases with required characteristics. 

Because of the potential importance for industrial-scale catalysis, we decided to check (i) whether an influence of a semiconductor support on a metal catalyst was present also if the metal is not spread as a thin layer on the semiconductor surface but rather exists in form of small particles mixed intimately with a powder of the semiconductor, and (ii) whether a doping effect was present even then. To this end the nitrates of nickel, zinc (zinc oxide is a well-characterized n-type semiconductor) and of the doping element gallium (for increased n-type doping) or lithium (for decreased n-type character) were dissolved in water, mixed, heated to dryness, and decomposed at 250°-300°C. The oxide mixtures were then pelleted and sintered 4 hr at 800° in order to establish the disorder equilibrium of the doped zinc oxide. The ratio Ni/ZnO was 1 8 and the eventual doping amounted to 0.2 at % (75). 

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