Direct preparation of nonagglomerated indium tin oxide nanoparticles using various spray pyrolysis methods

Indium tin oxide particles were prepared using three different spray synthetic techniques: conventional, salt-assisted, and low pressure. Optimum conditions for the preparation of small size, nonagglomerated particles were investigated for these three methods. The use of the conventional spray pyrolysis method resulted in only larger particles (submicrometer order). Salt-assisted spray pyrolysis (SASP) and low-pressure spray pyrolysis (LPSP) produced highly crystalline, dense, homogeneous, and nearly nonagglomerated nanoparticles that were less than 25 nm in size. The size of the particles was in the range 12-24 nm for the SASP method and 8-14 urn for the LPSP method. In addition, the LPSP method led to the production of single nanometer-size multicomponent particles in a single step with less heating time without the need for any post heat treatment and additives.