In situ thermo-TOF-SIMS study of thermal decomposition of zinc acetate dihydrate

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) was used for an in situ thermal decomposition study of Zn(CH₃COO)₂·2H₂O forming ZnO nanoparticles. TOF-SIMS spectra were recorded at regular temperature intervals of 25 °C in positive and negative detection modes in a dynamic thermal process. Controlled heating (5 °C min⁻¹) of Zn(CH₃COO)₂·2H₂O was also carried out using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in an oxygen atmosphere (20 ml min⁻¹). Nearly spherical ZnO nanoparticles with no agglomeration and a narrow size distribution (diameter ∼50 nm) were observed, which were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. In situ thermo-TOF-SIMS was used to monitor the ⁶⁴Zn⁺ and ⁶⁶Zn⁺ ion abundances as a function of temperature, which showed a similar profile to that observed for weight loss in TGA during decomposition. Based on the experimental results, a possible decomposition mechanism for the formation of ZnO is proposed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.