The effect of graphene oxide on structural, opto-electrical and thermal properties of manganese sillenite (Bi12MnO20) nano-powders

In this study, manganese sillenite nano-powders were produced by hydrothermal method by adding graphene oxide in different mass amounts. Structural, morphological, thermal, optical and electrical properties of the obtained undoped and graphene-oxide-doped samples were investigated. XRD results showed that the produced samples had nano-sizes and the crystal sizes changed with the addition of graphene oxide. SEM and TEM images showed that the microstructures of the samples were nano-sized and composed of randomly oriented particles without orientation relationship between them. From FT-IR spectra of the samples, chemical properties and bond structures were determined. With the help of thermal analysis measurements, reactions in the sample structures at increasing temperatures, reaction temperatures, reaction energies and total mass losses were determined. The forbidden energy ranges of the samples decreased at significant rates with the addition of graphene oxide. By checking the P–E hysteresis cycles, the samples are understood to show ferroelectric properties. Dielectric measurements and temperature-dependent electrical conductivity measurements of the produced nano-powders confirmed that the samples exhibited semiconductor behaviour. The obtained results showed that manganese sillenites can be synthesised by low-temperature hydrothermal method and physical, chemical and thermal properties can be controlled by adding different amounts of graphene oxide for use in electronic and energy applications.