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Band gap tuning of oxygen vacancy-induced Al2O3-TiO2 ceramics processed by spark plasma sintering

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Abstract

Optical and photocatalytic applications of Al2O3 and TiO2 ceramics are limited, especially under visible light, due to their wide bandgap; so, this parameter plays an important and even decisive role in these applications. In the present study, Al2O3-TiO2 ball milled powders were sintered by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1573 K. The products were characterized using XRD, SEM, UV–Vis and electrochemical methods. The results indicated effective improvement in the light absorbing capability of the composites (up to 95%) under visible light and the decrease of the band gap down to 2.2 eV owing to the increase of oxygen vacancies, which was, in turn, due to the reduced atmosphere of the sintering process. In addition, formation of a new phase (Al2TiO5) during sintering greatly affected the absorption of Al2O3-TiO2 composites in the visible light region due to the increase in the fraction of the charge carrier separation centers. Photo-luminescence spectroscopy also showed that tialite formation could be effective in improving the charge separation efficiency.

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Availability of data and material

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available due to some restrictions applied by Isfahan University of Technology, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, 8415683111, Isfahan, Iran

    Mahdi Hajihashemi, Morteza Shamanian & Fakhreddin Ashrafizadeh

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  1. Mahdi Hajihashemi
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  2. Morteza Shamanian
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  3. Fakhreddin Ashrafizadeh
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Correspondence to Mahdi Hajihashemi.

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Hajihashemi, M., Shamanian, M. & Ashrafizadeh, F. Band gap tuning of oxygen vacancy-induced Al2O3-TiO2 ceramics processed by spark plasma sintering. J Electroceram 48, 35–50 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10832-021-00273-4

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