Effect of annealing temperature on optical properties of binary zinc tin oxide nano-composite prepared by sol–gel route using simple precursors: Structural and optical studies by DRS, FT-IR, XRD, FESEM investigations

•Effect of annealing on optical properties of binary zinc tin oxide.•Sol–gel route using simple precursors for preparation of binary zinc tin oxide.•Structural and optical studies by DRS, FT-IR, XRD, FESEM investigations.

Binary zinc tin oxide nano-composite was synthesized by a facile sol–gel method using simple precursors from the solutions consisting of zinc acetate, tin(IV) chloride and ethanol. Effect of annealing temperature on optical and structural properties was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). XRD results revealed the existence of the ZnO and SnO2 phases. FESEM results showed that binary zinc tin oxide nano-composites ranges from 56 to 60 nm in diameter at 400 °C and 500 °C annealing temperatures respectively. The optical band gap was increased from 2.72 eV to 3.11 eV with the increasing of the annealing temperature. FTIR results confirmed the presence of zinc oxide and tin oxide and the broad absorption peaks at 3426 and 1602 cm−1 can be ascribed to the vibration of absorptive water, and the absorption peaks at 546, 1038 and 1410 cm−1 are due to the vibration of Zn–O or Sn–O groups in binary zinc tin oxide.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide