The Effects of Size Reduction and pH on Dispersion Characteristics of ATO (Antimony-Doped Tin Oxide)

This study aimed to prepare antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) dispersion with high stability. The methods to achieve this goal were sought by investigating the changes of ATO particle size, size distribution, dispersion property as wet ball milling treatment time increased. And the changes of wet ball milled ATO dispersion property were also investigated, as pH increased. The changes of ATO particle size and size distribution, according to wet ball milling treatment time were evaluated with laser diffraction particle size analyzer and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The changes of ATO dispersion property, as wet ball milling treatment time and pH increased, were evaluated with zeta potential analysis and Turbiscan. By 60 min wet ball milling treatment time, ATO particle size decreased and size distribution became narrower, as the treatment time increased. After 60 min milling, the ATO particle size decreased to less than 30% of the initial size and the size distribution was narrowed to 0.1∼5 µm from 1∼35 µm. However, more than 60 min milling, ATO particles aggregated and the particle size increased. ATO dispersion stability also increased as the treatment time and pH increased because the reduced particle size increased particle surface energy and repulsion between particles and the increased pH enhanced particle surface ionization. Hence, after proper length of wet ball milling treatment, highly stable ATO dispersion can be prepared, as increas- ing pH of the dispersion.