Tin Antimony Oxide (TAO), often called Antimony Tin Oxide or ATO, is a specialized conductive ceramic material. It’s a solid solution where antimony atoms partially replace tin atoms within the tin oxide (SnO2) crystal lattice. This substitutional doping is key to its unique properties. Primarily, TAO exhibits excellent electrical conductivity while maintaining high optical transparency in the visible light spectrum. This combination makes it a valuable transparent conducting oxide (TCO).

(tin antimony oxide)

The conductivity arises because the pentavalent antimony (Sb5+) atoms introduce extra electrons into the tin oxide structure when they replace tetravalent tin (Sn4+) ions. These free electrons enable good electrical flow. Crucially, unlike metals, TAO doesn’t strongly absorb visible light, allowing high transparency. Its transparency is generally highest in the blue-green region. TAO possesses high infrared reflectivity, contributing to heat management applications. It also demonstrates significant chemical stability and robustness, particularly against oxidation and many solvents.

These properties drive TAO’s applications. It’s widely used as a transparent electrode, especially where extreme durability is required, like in electrophoretic displays (EPD) and certain specialized touch panels. Its infrared reflectivity makes it effective in heat-reflective coatings for windows, automotive glass, and architectural glazing, helping reduce energy consumption for cooling. TAO nanoparticles are incorporated into polymers and coatings to provide electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding while maintaining transparency or specific colors. It’s also used in gas sensors and as a catalyst support.

(tin antimony oxide)

Compared to the dominant TCO Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), TAO generally offers superior chemical and mechanical durability and better performance stability at high temperatures. However, its electrical conductivity is typically lower than ITO, and achieving the same level of visible light transparency can be more challenging. Cost and processing differences also factor into material selection. TAO fills a vital niche demanding robust transparent conductivity.
Inquiry us
if you want to want to know more, please feel free to contact us.