Synthesis and analysis of an indium tin oxide nanoparticle dispersion

Interest in inkjet printing of indium tin oxide (ITO) has created the need for a dispersible and highly crystalline nanoparticle form that displays no agglomeration in solution. We have developed a synthesis route to the production of a colloidal ITO nanoparticle system which meets these requirements. The 5 nm diameter ITO particles are highly crystalline and display intrinsic properties similar to those observed in thin-film samples. Most importantly, the organic compounds that initiate the reaction cascade also act as stabilizers against agglomeration and allow the particles to be dispersed in solution for months and potentially years. The colloidal form also provides an additional material with which to probe the fundamental physics of ITO.