• Resources Recycling
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.24-31
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• 2018

In this study, waste ITO target is dissolved into hydrochloric acid to generate a complex indium-tin chloride solution. Nano sized ITO powder with an average particle size below 30 nm are generated from these raw material solutions by spray pyrolysis process. Also, in this study, thermodynamic equations for the formation of indium-tin oxide (ITO) are established. As the reaction temperature increased from $800^{\circ}C$ to $900^{\circ}C$, the proportion and size of the spherical droplet shape in which nano sized particles aggregated gradually decreased, and the surface structure gradually became densified. When the reaction temperature was $800^{\circ}C$, the average particle size of the generated powder was about 20 nm, and no significant sintering was observed. At a reaction temperature of $900^{\circ}C$, the split of the droplet was more severe than at $800^{\circ}C$, and the rate of maintenance of the initial atomized droplet shape decreased sharply. The average particle size of the powder formed was about 25 nm. The ITO particles were composed of single solid crystals, regardless of reaction temperature. XRD analysis showed that only the ITO phase was formed. Remarkably, the specific surface area decreased by about 30% as the reaction temperature increased from $800^{\circ}C$ to $900^{\circ}C$.