Microstructural development in pure and V-doped SnO2 nanopowders

The effect of V on the microstructural properties of SnO2 nanopowders is studied by performing X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microanalysis. The peak broadening in the diffraction data is interpreted in terms of crystallite size and microstrain effects and related to the presence of V ions within the lattice. After calcination at high temperatures, the decrease of microstrains and the increase in the average crystallite size is ascribed to V segregation as oxide. Though the amount of segregated V oxide is not detectable by Xray diffraction, V2O5 is clearly detected by Raman measurements.