Controlled synthesis and enhanced catalytic and gas-sensing properties of tin dioxide nanoparticles with exposed high-energy facets

A morphology evolution of SnO(2) nanoparticles from low-energy facets (i.e., {101} and {110}) to high-energy facets (i.e., {111}) was achieved in a basic environment. In the proposed synthetic method, octahedral SnO(2) nanoparticles enclosed by high-energy {111} facets were successfully synthesized for the first time, and tetramethylammonium hydroxide was found to be crucial for the control of exposed facets. Furthermore, our experiments demonstrated that the SnO(2) nanoparticles with exposed high-energy facets, such as {221} or {111}, exhibited enhanced catalytic activity for the oxidation of CO and enhanced gas-sensing properties due to their high chemical activity, which results from unsaturated coordination of surface atoms, superior to that of low-energy facets. These results effectively demonstrate the significance of research into improving the physical and chemical properties of materials by tailoring exposed facets of nanomaterials.     

Thick titanium dioxide films for semiconductor photocatalysis

Thick paste TiO₂ films are prepared and tested for photocatalytic and photoinduced superhydrophilic (PSH) activity. The films are effective photocatalysts for the destruction of stearic acid using near or far UV and all the sol–gel films tested exhibited a quantum yield for this process of typically 0.15%. These quantum yields are significantly greater (4–8-fold) than those for titania films produced by an APCVD technique, including the commercial self-cleaning glass product Activ™. The films are mechanically robust and optically clear and, as photocatalysts for stearic acid removal, are photochemically stable and reproducible. The kinetics of stearic acid photomineralisation are zero order with an activation energy of ca. 2.5 kJ mol⁻¹. All titania films tested, including those produced by APCVD, exhibit PSH. The light-induced fall, and dark recovery, in the water droplet contact angle made with titania paste films are similar in profile shape to those described by others for thin titania films produced by a traditional sol–gel route.     

Physicochemical and functional properties of modified tin dioxide

Specimens of tin dioxide with modifying Sb and Pt additives are synthesized. Their physicochemical properties (specific surface area, porosity, and conductivity), chemisorption and catalytic activity in the model reaction of CO oxidation are studied. A considerable chemisorption of CO on SnO₂ and SnO₂-SbO _x is observed at 150–180°C. The oxidation of CO in the flow of gases starts in the same temperature range. An addition of platinum leads to a significant increase in the rate of CO oxidation, the reaction starts at 80°C. It is proposed that the process proceeds at the SnO₂/Pt interface.     

Electronic structures and excitonic transitions in nanocrystalline iron-doped tin dioxide diluted magnetic semiconductor films: an optical spectroscopic study

Nanocrystalline iron-doped tin dioxide (Sn(1-x)Fe(x)O(2)) films with x from 0 to 0.2 were prepared on c-sapphire substrates by pulsed laser deposition. X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering analysis show that the films are of the rutile structure at low compositions and an impurity phase related to Fe(2)O(3) appears until the x is up to 0.2, suggesting the general change of lattice structure due to the Fe ion substitution. The dielectric functions are successfully determined from 0.0248 to 6.5 eV using the Lorentz multi-oscillator and Tauc-Lorentz dispersion models in the low and high photon energy regions, respectively. With increasing Fe composition, the highest-frequency transverse optical phonons E(u) shifts towards a lower energy side and can be well described by (608 - 178x) cm(-1). From the transmittance spectra, the fundamental absorption edge is found to be decreased with the Fe composition due to the joint contributions from SnO(2) and Fe(2)O(3). It can be observed that the doped films exhibit evident excitonic excitation features, which are strongly related to the Fe doping. Among them, the 6A(1g)→ 4T(2g) transition contributes to the onset of optical absorption. Moreover, the remarkable intensity reduction and a red-shift trend with the doping composition, except for the pure film, can be testified by the photoluminescence spectra. It can be concluded that the replacement of Sn with the Fe ion could induce the 2p-3d hybridization and result in the electronic band structure modification of the Sn(1-x)Fe(x)O(2) films.     

Effect of synthesis conditions on the structure and sorption properties of films based on mesoporous tin dioxide

We have conducted a comparative study of the synthesis conditions for mesoporous materials and films based on tin dioxide in the presence of different types of templates, and we have studied their thermal stability and sorption properties. We demonstrate the advantage of using alcoholic reaction media and nonionic templates (triblock copolymers Pluronic-123 and Pluronic-127) to obtain thin films of mesoporous SnO₂ with relatively high parameters for the porous structure (V_meso = 0.15 cm³/g, S_BET = 147 m²/g) and cassiterite crystallite sizes down to 2.7 nm, significantly smaller than the thickness of the walls.     

Study of size-dependent glass transition and Kauzmann temperatures of tin dioxide nanoparticles

The size and shape effects on melting, glass transition, and Kauzmann temperatures of SnO₂ nanoparticles using Lindemann??s criterion have been studied. The melting temperature of SnO₂ nanoparticles decreases as the size of the particle decreases. As the particle size increases, melting temperature increases and approaches to the melting temperature 1,903?K of bulk irrespective of the shape. The glass transition and Kauzmann temperatures are analyzed through the size effect on the melting temperature. The glass transition and Kauzmann temperatures decrease with the decrease in size of SnO₂ nanoparticles.     

Textured fluorine-doped tin dioxide films formed by chemical vapour deposition

The use of an aerosol delivery system enabled fluorine-doped tin dioxide films to be formed from monobutyltin trichloride methanolic solutions at 350-550 °C with enhanced functional properties compared with commercial standards. It was noted that small aerosol droplets (0.3 μm) gave films with better figures of merit than larger aerosol droplets (45 μm) or use of a similar precursor set using atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition (CVD) conditions. Control over the surface texturing and physical properties of the thin films were investigated by variation in the deposition temperature and dopant concentration. Optimum deposition conditions for low-emissivity coatings were found to be at a substrate temperature of about 450 °C with a dopant concentration of 1.6 atm% (30 mol% F:Sn in solution), which resulted in films with a low visible light haze value (1.74%), a high charge-carrier mobility (25 cm(2) V s(-1)) and a high charge-carrier density (5.7×10(20) cm(-3)) resulting in a high transmittance across the visible (≈80%), a high reflectance in the IR (80% at 2500 nm) and plasma-edge onset at 1400 nm. Optimum deposition conditions for coatings with applications as top electrodes in thin film photovoltaics were found to be a substrate temperature of about 500 °C with a dopant concentration of 2.2 atm% (30 mol% F:Sn in solution), which resulted in films with a low sheet resistance (3 Ω sq(-1)), high charge-carrier density (6.4×10(20) cm(-3)), a plasma edge onset of 1440 nm and the films also showed pyramidal surface texturing on the micrometer scale which corresponded to a high visible light haze value (8%) for light scattering and trapping within thin film photovoltaic devices.     

An electron microscope study of tin dioxide and antimony-doped tin dioxide

Crystals of tin dioxide, SnO₂, have been grown pure or doped with a few percent of antimony using vapor growth methods in order to investigate the microstructures of reduced and oxidized SnO₂. They were examined by X-ray diffraction and by optical and electron microscopy. SnO₂ crystals were found to contain few faults, but the antimony-doped crystals were extensively twinned in some regions. Reduction of SnO₂ crystals to yield CS phases was unsuccessful. These results are discussed in terms of the known crystal chemistry of the oxides involved.     

Synthesis of high-quality semiconductor nanoparticles in a composite hot-matrix

Semiconductor nanocrystals are of a great interest for many practical applications which motivates the search of low cost and environmental-friendly methods for their manufacturing. Here we report the synthesis of CdSe and CdS nanoparticles utilizing composite matrix of liquid paraffin as a non-coordinating solvent and stearic acid as a coordinating ligand. The nanoparticle growth kinetics is compared to that of the classical synthesis in trioctylphosphine oxide matrix. It is found that the nucleation and crystal growth are remarkably affected by the coordinating ligand. The CdSe and CdS nanocrystals can be isolated and purified from the matrix which makes it possible their large-scale synthesis for applications.     

Laser ablation doping of poly crystalline tin dioxide films with palladium

Laser ablation of palladium was studied and velocity (energy) distributions of palladium ions evaporated by an Kr-F laser in a vacuum were obtained. The optimum values of energy fluence (fluence rate) of laser radiation for doping tin dioxide films, at which neither multiply charged Pd^N+ ions nor ionized clusters Pd _N ⁺ , occur in a plasma, were determined. From time-of-flight probe measurement data, Pd⁺ implantation depths in SnO₂ films were calculated, which qualitatively agree with the results obtained by secondary neutral mass spectrometry. Electric conductivity measurements on the obtained films in a gas phase showed that introduction of palladium into polycrystalline SnO₂ films by laser ablation significantly enhanced their gas sensitivity to hydrogen.     

Quantification of antimony depth profiles in Sb-doped tin dioxide thin films

Sb-doped SnO₂ thin films, deposited by atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) for gas sensor applications, have been characterized by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Quantification of the depth profile data has been carried out by preparing a series of ion implanted standards. Average concentrations determined by SIMS have been compared with Sb/Sn ratios obtained by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry and proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) spectrometry and have been found to be in good agreement. However, a detection limit of 5×10¹⁸ at cm^-3 could only be obtained because of mass interferences. SIMS data show that the ALE technique can be used to produce a controllable growth and doping of thin films.     

Quantification of antimony depth profiles in Sb-doped tin dioxide thin films

Sb-doped SnO(2) thin films, deposited by atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) for gas sensor applications, have been characterized by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Quantification of the depth profile data has been carried out by preparing a series of ion implanted standards. Average concentrations determined by SIMS have been compared with Sb/Sn ratios obtained by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry and proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) spectrometry and have been found to be in good agreement. However, a detection limit of 5x10(18) at cm(-3) could only be obtained because of mass interferences. SIMS data show that the ALE technique can be used to produce a controllable growth and doping of thin films.     

纳米二氧化钛粉体及薄膜制备的研究进展

本文对近几年有关纳米二氧化钛粉体及薄膜的制备研究进行综述。重点介绍及评述了以无机钛盐和有机钛盐为前驱体制备纳米二氧化钛粉体及利用自组装方法制备二氧钛薄膜的最新研究成果。对今后研究工作的趋势进行了探讨。     

Platinum nanoparticles on the antimony-doped tin dioxide surface: Quantum-chemical modeling

The interaction of Pt₂₉ nanoparticles with pristine and reduced (110) and (100) SnO₂ surfaces doped with Sb has been modeled using the density functional theory method within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). It has been demonstrated that the introduction of antimony contributes to dispersion of substrate particles and, in some cases, leads to an increase in the energy of interaction with platinum and to the fixation of platinum nanoparticles on the surface.     

Intermediate formation during photodegradation of phenol using lanthanum doped tin dioxide nanoparticles

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Lanthanum (La)-doped tin dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles were synthesized by a modified sol–gel method at room temperature. The samples were characterized by...     

Incorporation into paper of cellulose triacetate films containing semiconductor nanoparticles

CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) were embedded in films of cellulose triacetate (CTA) to give clear films with the broad absorbance and well-defined, size-tunable fluorescence characteristic of QDs. The relative quantum yields of the QDs in polymer were compared to that of the initial QDs dispersed in toluene. Alkaline hydrolysis of the film surfaces to regenerated cellulose rendered the previously hydrophobic CTA film surfaces hydrophilic and compatible with aqueous papermaking. Films containing combinations of different sized QDs gave more complex emission patterns. Small pieces of fluorescent films were added to pulp slurries and incorporated into laboratory paper sheets through hydrogen bonding between the regenerated cellulose film surfaces and cellulosic pulp fibers. The film system (cellulose ester bulk/cellulose surface) can be used to incorporate hydrophobic particles or molecules compatible with solutions of cellulosic polymers into paper products at both high and low loadings. QDs in paper may prove useful for security applications, such as sheets with unique optical signatures.     

Physicochemical and photocatalytic properties of tin dioxide supported onto silica gel

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The samples containing 1–10% tin dioxide supported onto silica gel have been synthesized via precipitation or thermolysis of tin tetrachloride....     

Effect of carbon nanoparticles of different shapes on mechanical properties of aromatic polyimide-based composite films

Nanocomposite films based on thermally stable polypyromellitimide are prepared via the introduction of cylindrical and laminar carbon nanoparticles—nanofibers and nanocones/disks—into the prepolymer solution. An increase in the filler concentration increases the elastic modulus and yield stress of the material. Moreover, in composites filled with nanofibers, both characteristics increase much less intensely than those of films containing nanocones/disks. Rigidity increases in composites filled with nanofibers when their concentration is below ～7 vol %. A further increase in concentration is accompanied by the aggregation of nanofibers. The introduction of the nanoparticles of both types into the polymer matrix stabilizes the behavior of the material under prolonged mechanical loading: both the creep strain and the relaxation intensity decline with an increase in the filler concentration. The introduction of nanocones/disks into the polyimide matrix results in a more pronounced stabilization of creep characteristics of films than that in the case of nanofibers.     

Optical properties of mesoporous II-VI semiconductor compound films

Direct liquid crystal templating from non-ionic polyoxyethylene surfactants has been utilised to produce well-defined birefringent films of nanostructured cadmium telluride films which displayed good optical properties as evidenced by UV/VIS reflectance spectroscopy.     

Morphology and electrochemical properties of a composite produced by a peroxide method on the basis of tin dioxide and carbon black

Using peroxostannate as a precursor, a composite material based on tin dioxide and carbon black was obtained, in which tin dioxide forms a coating on the surface of carbon black nanoparticles. The synthesized material was characterized by electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction analysis, and also the electrochemical characteristics of this material as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries were studied. The material demonstrates good stability and rate performance, which is indicative of the efficiency of the peroxide method for producing promising inexpensive anode materials based on tin dioxide and carbon black.