Pyrolysis of organotin compounds: A preparative method for nanometric tin dioxide powders

摘要

Nanometric tin dioxide powders were obtained by pyrolysis of organotin oxide based compounds such as Sn_3O_3Bu_6(1) and Sn_4O_6Bu_4(2) (Bu=n-butyl). The thermal behaviour of 1 and 2 studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and with simultaneous differential thermal analysis (DTA). Pyrolysis experiments were carried out in three different atmospheres (N_2, air and O_2) and the residual powders were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The XRD data showed the formation of pure SnO_2 when the decomposition process was accomplished in air or O_2, however, in N_2, and for Sn_4O_6Bu_4, the X-ray study indicated the formation of a mixture of SnO/SnO_2. The micrographs revealed grains of 30-40 nm, approximately.