Enhanced electrical behaviour of monoclinic p-CuNb2O6

• Monoclinic CuNb2O6 with microrods structure was prepared by solid state reaction.
• Growth mechanism was explained by densification and coalescence process.
• CuNb2O6 microrods possess low activation energy and higher carrier concentration.
• Enhanced electrical behaviour of copper niobate than NiO and Cu2O was reported.
• Increase in conductivity with sintering time was explained by bilayer model.

Copper niobate with various microstructures were prepared by varying the sintering time of solid-state reaction. Recorded powder XRD patterns confirmed the formation of pure monoclinic phase of CuNb2O6. FESEM images exposed the pore formation and decrease in pore size as sintering time increases. Formation of rod structure due to densification and coalescence process was observed at higher sintering time (12 h). The material possesses broad absorption in the UV–vis region with optical band gap of 3.5 eV. DC studies revealed the semiconducting nature of the material. Hall effect measurement explored p-type behaviour with maximum hole density of 7.75 × 1018 m−3. In the Nyquist plot, an increase in conducting behaviour with sintering time was explained by bilayer model. CuNb2O6 with rod structure possess an enhanced electrical behaviour and can be used an efficient photocathodes in Tandem DSSCs.

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