MUMBAI, India, Oct. 11 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202421028901 A) filed by Sachin Achalkumar Padwal, Nashik, Maharashtra, on April 9, 2024, for 'innovative successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction based synthesis of tio2/agbi2s3 thin films with enhanced optical properties.'
Inventor(s) include Sachin Achalkumar Padwal.
The application for the patent was published on Oct. 10, under issue no. 41/2025.
According to the abstract released by the Intellectual Property India: "In this invention, we introduce a novel method using the Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) technique to synthesize AgBi2S3, an environmentally friendly ternary metal chalcogenide within the I-V-IV semiconductor group. This material possesses an optimal energy gap of 1.2 eV, ideal for solar cell applications, with an impressive absorption coefficient of 10^5 cm^-1 at 600 nm. The innovation lies in our approach to deposit AgBi2S3 thin films onto titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films, resulting in TiO2/AgBi2S3 composite films. Characterization through XRD analysis revealed the anatase phase for TiO2, a cubic crystal system for Ag, and a hexagonal crystal system for Bi2S3. The surface morphological investigation, conducted through SEM analysis, revealed distinct characteristics of both the pristine TiO2 and TiO2/AgBi2S3 composite films. The TiO2 thin film displayed a uniform distribution of nanoparticles, ensuring a stable interface with the substrate. In contrast, the composite film's surface exhibited evolving features with increasing SILAR cycles, including particle aggregation, interconnected nanoparticle architecture, and micro cracks. The composite films, with thicknesses ranging from 8 m to 13 m and particle sizes spanning 20 nm to 265 nm, significantly enhance the TiO2 film's light absorption across visible and near-infrared regions. Additionally, contact angle measurements post-deposition of AgBi2S3 thin films indicated a significant decrease from 33-34 degrees to 17-18 degrees, signifying improved wettability and surface properties. In our investigation, we noted that the extinction coefficient reaches its peak in the wavelength range of 650 nm to 700 nm, signifying optimal light absorption characteristics. This leads to increased opacity and reduced light transmission within this spectrum. These observations were also evident in the skin depth plot, with the skin depth maintaining consistent uniformity from 200 nm to 700 nm before experiencing a subsequent increase. Crucially, the TiO2/AgBi2S3 composite film demonstrates remarkable photoelectrochemical properties, marking a pivotal advancement in materials science and the development of high-performance optoelectronic devices. The optimal photoelectrochemical performance of FTO/TiO2/AgBi2S3 composite thin film configurations using a polysulfide electrolyte was observed with 5 SILAR cycles, yielding a maximum short-circuit current of 0.2854mA/cm 2. This invention presents potential opportunities for collaboration and application in photovoltaic devices, photoelectrochemical water splitting, photocatalysis, and LED/displays with improved light emission properties, highlighting the multifaceted potential of the TiO2/AgBi2S3 composite film in various technological domains."
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
