Influence of Gas Flow Rate on the Properties of In2O3 Nanostructures Synthesized on Ni/Si Substrates using a Carbothermal Reduction Process at Atmospheric Pressure

Indium oxide nanostructured films have been grown on Ni/Si substrates by a carbothermal reduction of In2O3 powder under the flow of a 1 % hydrogen balance nitrogen as carrier gas at atmospheric pressure. The properties of the microstructures were investigated by varying the gas flow rates between 100 and 250 sccm. The films' morphological, structural and optical properties were examined using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV-vis measurements. Investigation of the crystal structures revealed clear diffraction peaks in the XRD analysis corresponding to the body-centred crystal structure of the In2O3. The shape, crystallite size, and optical bandgap were observed to be influenced by the variation in the gas flow rates.