Influence of Annealing on Physical, Physiological and Electric Properties of Mono Nickel oxide Thick Films Prepared by using Screen-Printing Technique

Abstract

To study changes in physical, physiological and electrical properties of AR grade Nickel monoxide (NiO), thick films of NiO were fabricated on a glass substrate and annealed at 250 0C - 400 0C. Using characterization techniques, such as XRD, SEM-EDS and static gas sensing system, the structure of the film was found to be polycrystalline with a cubic structure and chemical composition study confirmed its non- stoichiometric nature. Half bridge method is used for measurement of D.C. resistance of thick films in air atmosphere at 30 0C to 350 0C. The prepared thick films of NiO nanoparticles were analysed for electrical properties and it ascertained that they are semiconducting in nature. The TCR, activation energy as well as film resistivity were measured at selected annealing temperatures. The D.C electrical conductivity results obtained from electrical properties at room temperature is 0.086 × 104 (Ωm) 1. The crystallite size changes from 8.20 nm to 8.54 nm for strong predominant orientation (200) with increase in annealing temperature. Study of correlation between annealing temperature and electrical resistivity showed that there is decrease in resistance with increase in temperature.