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Performance optimization of silicon-doped titanium dioxide and multiwalled carbon nanotubes tricomposite nanostructures for electrical and optical applications

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Abstract

Combination nanostructures of metal, semiconductor oxides and carbon materials pursued well in optical and electrical devices. Here we report an experimental study on fabrication and characterization of tricomposite nanostructure of silicon-doped titanium dioxide [Si(x)TiO2(1-x)] and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The tricomposite of varying concentration (x) of silicon in TiO2 [Si(x)TiO2(1-x)] while keeping the concentration of MWCNTs constant were prepared using conventional chemical method. The concentration of Si in TiO2 was decided by Maxwell Garnett model using volume filling factor 'f' (0 ≤ f ≤ 1)]) of Si in TiO2. It has been shown that fabricated tricomposite nanostructure possesses typical nanoflower shape. The UV–Vis spectrum is found to be such that as the value of ‘f’ increases, spectrum shifted towards red and hence bandgap increases. This bandgap shifting was also confirmed using photoluminescence measurements. All the prepared MWCNTs:Si(x)TiO2(1-x) tricomposite nanostructures were then employed for cyclic voltammetry (CV) as well as for optical applications. The optimize values of specific capacitance, quantum efficiency, responsivity and detectivity, i.e. 3.9 × 103 F/g, 0.18 A/W, 27 AW−1 nm−1 and 3.75 × 1013 Jones respectively are found to be unrivaled in comparison to the reported ones. The fabricated device also possesses additional advantages like immunity to electromagnetic interference, low cost.

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The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Rana Tabassum is thankful to Department of Science and Technology (India) for INSPIRE faculty scheme with Project No. [DST/INSPIRE/04/2017/000141]

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  1. Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, 110025, India

    Shafaque Rahman, Farhan Ahmad, Jyoti Bansal, Rana Tabassum & A. K. Hafiz

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  1. Shafaque Rahman
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RT is corresponding author. SR and RT has performed all the experiments (sample preparation and characterization) and prepared manuscript. JB has helped greatly in the explanation of experimental results as well as in overall preparation of manuscript. FA and AKH supported the work.

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Correspondence to Rana Tabassum.

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Rahman, S., Ahmad, F., Bansal, J. et al. Performance optimization of silicon-doped titanium dioxide and multiwalled carbon nanotubes tricomposite nanostructures for electrical and optical applications. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 33, 5105–5126 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-022-07700-4

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