This document outlines a study on the synthesis and characterization of doped Cr2O3 nanoparticles. It will investigate doping Cr2O3 nanoparticles with elements like Fe, ZnO, and Co using microwave synthesis and sol-gel methods. Characterization of the structural, electrical, and optical properties of the doped nanoparticles will be conducted using techniques like XRD, SEM, and FTIR. The study aims to better understand how doping affects the properties of Cr2O3 nanoparticles compared to the bulk material. A timeline is provided outlining the literature review, experimental work, characterization, drafting and final submission over a 5 month period.

1. Study Of Doped Cr2O3 Nanoparticles
By:
Gaurav Kumar Yogesh
Reg. No. CUPB/M.Sc./SBAS/PMS/2013-14/01
Supervisor: Dr. Kamlesh Yadav
(Assistant Professor)
Centre for Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Central University of Punjab, Bathinda

2.  Introduction
 Nanomaterials
 Historic background
 Classification of nanoparticles
 Method to approach nanoparticle
 Properties and application
 Gap analysis
 Objective
 Microwave assisted Synthesis
 Observations to be recorded
 Time Schedule for M.Sc. Dissertation
 References

3. Nanomaterials have dimensions of less than 100 nm and atleast 1 nm.
They have superior properties than bulk.
There are various methods for the synthesis of nanomaterials like sol gel, microwave
synthesis etc.
They can generally be classified as one of two types: engineered or non-engineered
Engineered nanoparticles are intentionally designed and created with physical properties
tailored to meet the needs of specific applications.
Non-engineered nanoparticles are unintentionally generated or naturally produced, such as
atmospheric nanoparticles created during combustions.

5. Historical evidences of use nanoparticles
The Lycurgus cup is from the 4th century AD and was
probably carved in Rome. It appears RED by reflexion and
GREEN by transmission. This technology has been used
during the roman era. Gold and silver were added to glasses.
Fig. http://www.cambridge2000.com/gallery

7. Size effects constitute a peculiar and fascinating aspect of nanomaterials. The effects determined by size
pertain to the evolution of structural, thermodynamic, electronic, spectroscopic, electromagnetic and
chemical features of these finite systems with changing size.
Example: gold nanoparticle.face
LS-FCM University of Bologna

8.  Top down approach  Down up approach

9. 1. Commonly found as the rare minerals Eskolaite, Cr2O3
2. It has rhombohedral structure
3. There are two descriptions of the rhombohedral lattice system.
 Hexagonal axes: The unit cell is a = b ≠ c; α = β = 90°, γ = 120°
 Rhombohedral axes: This is a primitive unit cell with parameters
a = b = c; α = β = γ ≠ 90°.
Fig. Rhombohedral cell

10. 1.Magnetic properties
 Cr2O3 nanoparticle is an antiferromagnet with a Neel temperature TN of 311 K .
 Find diverse technological applications in information storage and spintronics.
 Surface spins increases as the particle size is decreased.
2. Electrical properties
 Cr2O3 is intrinsic semiconductor Whose conductance is independent of oxygen partial pressure at
high temperature (>1273 K).
 At lower temperature the oxide is an extrinsic p-type.
 Due to the presence of a small amount of unoccupied cr4+ states in the bulk which hope from one
lattice chromium to next at temperature above 623 K.
3. Structural properties
 Rhombohedral structure of the material with lattice parameter, a = b= 4.953 Å; c = 13.578 Å,

11.  Optical properties arise due to surface Plasmon resonance.
 SPR is caused due to the coherent motion of the C.B electrons from one surface of the particle to the
other, upon interaction on electromagnetic radiation.
 Decrease in size below the electron mean free path gives rise to the intense absorption of UV- visible
radiation.
 Optical excitation of the SPR gives rise to the surface plasmon absorption.
 Surface plasmon absorption depends on the size and the shape of the particles.

12.  Solar energy thermal collector
 Insulating antiferromagnetic material
 Tunnel junction barrier
 Coating for the passivation of the surface against corrosion
 Microelectronics
 Sensors
 Piezoelectric devices
 Coating materials for thermal protection hydrogen storage antimicrobial and antibacterial
activity
 Green pigments

13.  Synthesis with a sol method by using capping agents to prevent aggregation and control the
size.
 Quantum confinement occurs when the electrons motion is limited by the size of the NP.
 The electronic energy levels of the particle around the Fermi level are affected only for very
small sizes.
 The UV-visible absorption is determined by the surface plasmon resonance, which is size
and shape dependent.
 Exhibit a very weak luminescence.
 Show valuable catalytic properties, owing to the large surface to mass ratio.

14. There are various ways of preparing nanoparticles:
1. Sol-gel method
2. Microwave synthesis
3. Hydrothermal reaction
4. Arc discharge reaction
For our experiment we use the sol-gel and microwave synthesis methods

15.  Microwaves radiation are a form of electromagnetic energy with frequencies in the range
of 300 MHz to 300 GHz.
 Interactions between materials and microwaves are based on two specific mechanisms:
dipole interactions and ionic conduction.
 In the Dipole interactions the polar ends of a molecule tend to re-orientate themselves and
oscillate in step with the oscillating electrical field of the microwaves. Heat is generated
by molecular collision and friction.
Jimmy. C.Yu.,2004

16.  Dipolar oscillation Ionic
conduction
Molecular Orientation = Molecular Friction = Heat

17.  Conductive heat
 Heating by convection currents
 Slow and energy inefficient process

18.  Broad dynamic temperature range up to 300K
 Microwave energy can heat the whole sample volume very effectively.
 It yields better product in short duration.
 Thermal equilibrium is quickly achieved.
 The microwave synthesized products were calcined in air to obtain the well-defined crystallographic
phase.
 Low energy is required.
 Higher chemical yield is obtained.
 Microwave synthesis apparatus can be turned off instantly when the reaction mixture reaches the
temperature set point.
 Parameters can be controlled excellently.
 Safety is the most important feature.

19. Cr2O3 nanoparticles prepared by microwave synthesis and sol gel method is advantageous to
our study as it is time saving and a good morphology can be achieved with the help of this. So
our present study is based on the formation of nanoparticles. The structural, magnetic and
electrical properties will be strongly influenced by the doping of the several element of d block
element such as Fe, ZnO and Co. From the literature survey done so far, very few literature is
available on the synthesis of Cr2O3 nanoparticles by using microwave synthesis method and sol-
gel method.

20.  The lattice parameters will be calculated using the plot of X-Ray diffraction.
 We can calculate the variation of intensity with the angle of diffraction.
 Surface morphology can be calculated using SEM.
 Electrical band can be calculated by FTIR

21. The lattice parameters like a, b, c and α, β, γ will be calculated by using x-ray diffraction, also
the graph between intensity and 2θ will be helpful for estimating the variation of intensity with
2θ. The crystallite size can be calculated by using the Debye scherrer’s formula D=
0.9λ/βcosθ, where D is crystallite size, is wavelength of x-rays, is full width at half maximum
and θ is Bragg’s angle.

22. To synthesize the Cr2O3 nanoparticles by using microwave synthesis method and sol gel
method then study the doping effect on the optical, electrical and structural properties of
nanoparticles.

23. Location of Research
We will prepare Cr2O3 nanoparticles by Microwave synthesis and by using Sol-gel technique at
Central University of Punjab. For the characterization of the prepared nanoparticles we have to go
suitable places if university permits.
23

24.  As Cr2O3 nanoparticles will be synthesized by microwave assisted synthesis and it is
expected that there will be a change in the properties compared to the bulk.
 The Electrical, Structural, Optical will be correlated.

25. Sr. No. Activities January February March April May
1 Literature
survey
2 Experimental
work
3 Characterisati
on
4 Draft
submission
5 Final
submission

26. References
 Abdullah, M. M., Rajab, F. M., and Al-Abbas, S. M. (2014). Structural and optical characterization of Cr2O3
nanostructures: Evaluation of its dielectric properties. AIP Advances, 4(2), 027121.
 Balouria, Vishal; Singh, A.; Debnath, A. K.; Mahajan, Aman; Bedi, R. K.; Aswal, D. K.; Gupta, S. K., Synthesis
and characterization of sol-gel derived Cr2O3 nanoparticles.
 F. Farzaneh and M. Najafi, Synthesis and Characterization of Cr2O3 Nanoparticles with Triethanolamine in Water
under Microwave Irradiation, Received: 17 May 2011 / Revised: 9 January 2012 / Accepted: 15 January 2012
 Hung, C. H., Shih, P. H., Wu, F. Y., Li, W. H., Wu, S. Y., Chan, T. S., & Sheu, H. S. (2010). Spin-phonon coupling
effects in antiferromagnetic Cr2O3 nanoparticles. Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology, 10(7), 4596-4601.
 Mohanapandian and Krishnan.,2014 study Effect of Concentration of Ni2+ on the Physio Chemical Properties of
Cr2o3 Nanoparticles
 Pei, Z., and Zhang, Y. (2008). A novel method to prepare Cr2O3 nanoparticles.Materials Letters, 62(3), 504-506.
 Pei, Z., Xu, H., and Zhang, Y. (2009). Preparation of Cr2O3 nanoparticles via C2H5OH hydrothermal
reduction. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 468(1), L5-L8.
 Zhang, W. S., Bruck, E., Zhang, Z. D., Tegus, O., Li, W. F., Si, P. Z. & Buschow, K. H. J. (2005). Structure and
magnetic properties of Cr nanoparticles and Cr2O3 nanoparticles. Physica B: Condensed Matter,358(1), 332-338.
