High pressure electrical resistivity studies on Ni-doped TiO2 nanoparticles

Electrical resistivity measurement of Ni-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles were performed under high pressure using a Bridgman opposed anvil setup. It is observed that, anatase phase nanoparticles shows a sudden increase in resistivity below the pressure limit of 4 GPa and is attributed to the transition from anatase to rutile phase. In addition, the transition limit is shifted towards lower pressure region with increase in dopant concentration. But, Ni-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles with rutile phase shows a rapid decrease in resistivity up to 5 GPa and thereafter it becomes constant. Samples with constant resistivity behavior are mainly ascribed to the semiconductor-metallic transformation.