Effect of different ethanol/water solvent ratios on the morphology of SnO2 nanocrystals and their electrochemical properties

• Published in: Materials science in semiconductor processing Vol. 16; no. 3; pp. 742 - 746
• Main Authors: Liu, Jia, Huang, Jiamu, Li, Xinlu, Liu, Hongdong, Zhang, Yuxin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Chemical synthesis methods; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electrochemical properties; Ethanol; Ethyl alcohol; Exact sciences and technology; Hydrothermal synthesis; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties; Materials science; Methods of nanofabrication; Morphology; Nanocrystals; Physics; Scanning probe microscopes, components and techniques; Semiconductors; SnO2 microspheres; Solvents; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Template-free synthesis; Tin dioxide; Tin oxides; Electrochemical properties; Template-free synthesis; Hydrothermal synthesis; SnO2 microspheres; Water; Spherical shape; XRD; Spheres; IV-VI compound; Template method; Microspheres; Rutile structure; Tin oxide; Current density; Nanocrystal; Scanning electron microscopy; Ethanol; Tetragonal lattices; Field emission electron microscopy; Hydrothermal growth; Transmission electron microscopy; SnO; Morphology; Surface area; Microstructure; Microcrystal
• ISSN: 1369-8001; 1873-4081
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2012.12.020

We report on the effect of different ethanol/water solvent ratios on the morphology of SnO2 nanocrystals prepared by the conventional hydrothermal method and their electrochemical properties. The nanocrystals were structurally and morphologically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), surface area measurements, and transmission electron microscopy. The XRD patterns indicate that the sphere-like SnO2 microcrystals have a rutile-type tetragonal structure and FESEM images show that the microspheres have a diameter of 2–5μm. We found that the ethanol/water volume ratio plays an important role in formation of the final product. Electrochemical tests revealed that the SnO2 microspheres had a high initial capacity of 1546mAhg−1 at a current density of 100mAg−1 and retained a reversible capacity of 439mAhg−1 after 30 discharge cycles.