A Cost-Effective Co-precipitation Method for Synthesizing Indium Tin Oxide Nanoparticles without Chlorine Contamination

Indium tin oxide (ITO) nanoparticles with crystallite size of 12.6 nm and specific surface area of 45.7 m2·g−1 were synthesized by co-precipitation method. The indium solution was obtained by dissolving metal indium in HNO3. The tin solution was obtained by dissolving metal tin in HNO3 and followed by stabilizing with citric acid. The free of chlorine ions in the synthesis process brought several advantages: shortening the synthesis time, decreasing the particle agglomeration, decreasing the chlorine content in the ITO nanoparticles and improving the particle sinterability. This is the first time to report the synthesis of ITO nanoparticles free from chlorine contamination without using the expensive metal alkoxides as starting materials.