Synthesis, characterization and electrical property of nanocrystalline Cu0.5Ni0.5Ce3O5

Nanocrystalline Cu 0.5 Ni 0.5 Ce 3 O 5 with particle size of about 28 nm was directly synthesized by sol–gel auto-combustion method at room temperature. The overall process involves three steps: formation of homogeneous sol; formation of dried gel; and combustion of the dried gel. Experiments revealed that Cu 0.5 Ni 0.5 Ce 3 O 5 dried gel derived from glycine and nitrate sol exhibits self-propagating combustion at room temperature once it is ignited in air. After auto-combustion, the desired nanocrystalline Cu 0.5 Ni 0.5 Ce 3 O 5 was acquired and further calcination was needed. The auto-combustion was considered as a heat-induced exothermic oxidation–reduction reaction between nitrate ions and carboxyl group. The synthesized powder was characterized by XRD, TG/DTA, SEM and TEM. Nanocrystalline Cu 0.5 Ni 0.5 Ce 3 O 5 was p type semiconducting material. Shapes of the particles are nanocoralloids in nature. The I–V characteristic and electrical properties of the nanocrystalline Cu 0.5 Ni 0.5 Ce 3 O 5 were studied.