DEPOSITION AND CHARACTERISATION OF TIN (IV) OXIDE (SNO )MODIFIED WITH 2 LIGNIN

Abstract

Tin dioxide (SnO ) thin films modified with lignin was successfully deposited using spray pyrolysis techniques. 2 Lignin, a natural and abundant biopolymer, was incorporated as a functional additive to improve the structural and optical properties of the SnO films. The films were deposited on a glass substrate annealed to study the 2 influence of thermal treatment on film structure and crystallinity. Tetragonal rutile SnO was clearly detected 2 by XRD and slight changes in the peak positions showed that both lignin and SnO had interacted. The use of 2 UV-Vis spectroscopy indicated an adjustable optical band gap where the band gap reduced from 3.72 eV to 3.63 eV as the percentage of lignin increases that suggests greater absorption of visible light due to the addition of lignin showing that lignin changes the electron features of SnO , making the films useful for UV protection. 2 Incorporating lignin resulted in better UV absorption, causing a decrease in UV transmittance, yet the samples remained transparent in the visible wavelengths. The modified films exhibited improved surface wettability and potential for enhanced charge transport, making them promising candidates for applications in sensors, photocatalysis, and optoelectronic devices. This work demonstrates a sustainable approach to tailoring metal oxide thin films using renewable biomass-derived materials.