Single step synthesis of highly conductive room-temperature stable cation-substituted mayenite electride target and thin film

Novel approaches to synthesize efficient inorganic electride [Ca24Al28O64](4+)(e(-))(4) (thereafter, C12A7:e(-)) at ambient pressure under nitrogen atmosphere, are actively sought out to reduce the cost of massive formation of nanosized powder as well as compact large size target production. It led to a new era in low cost industrial applications of this abundant material as Transparent Conducting Oxides (TCOs) and as a catalyst. Therefore, the present study about C12A7:e(-) electride is directed towards challenges of cation doping in C12A7:e(-) to enhance the conductivity and form target to deposit thin film. Our investigation for cation doping on structural and electrical properties of Sn-and Si-doped C12A7:e(-) (Si-C12A7:e, and Sn-C12A7:e(-)) reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite shows the maximum achieved conductivities of 5.79 S.cm(-1) and 1.75 S.cm(-1) respectively. On the other hand when both samples melted, then rGO free Sn-C12A7:e(-) and Si-C12A7:e(-) were obtained, with conductivities similar to 280 S.cm(-1) and 300 S.cm(-1), respectively. Iodometry based measured electron concentration of rGO free Sn-C12A7:e(-) and Si-C12A7:e(-), 3 inch electride targets were similar to 2.22 x 10(21) cm(-3), with relative 97 +/- 0.5% density, and similar to 2.23 x 10(21) cm(-3) with relative 99 +/- 0.5% density, respectively. Theoretical conductivity was already reported excluding any associated experimental support. Hence the above results manifested feasibility of this sol-gel method for different elements doping to further boost up the electrical properties.