Abstract
Indium acetate, a promising material for producing indium oxide films (Indium-Tin-Oxide transparent conductive films) by a dip coating, was synthesized and analyzed. The process of oxide formation in nitrogen and helium atmosphere was investigated by so-called TG-DTA-MS, i.e., thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) coupled with Evolved Gas Analysis (EGA) by mass spectrometry (MS) operated simultaneously. The thermal decomposition proceeded by gas evolution of water vapor and acetic acid followed by gas evolution of acetone and carbon dioxide at the higher temperature. The process in air atmosphere terminated at slightly earlier with an exothermic mass loss accompanying a rapid evolution of acetone, water vapor, and carbon dioxide; the evolved heat by combustion of acetone seemed to accelerate the thermal decomposition. The formula for indium acetate was estimated to be InOH (CH3COO)2 (basic acetate) by which the above reactions were explained satisfactorily.
