Dispersible SnO2 nanoparticles - a structural phenomenon
- Previous work in the Dunne Group targeted dispersibility of metal oxide nanoparticles, which had been synthesised via an aqueous sol-gel route. Dispersibility was attained by solvothermal surface modification of the particles with trifluoro acetic acid.
Part of the studies were tin oxide particles, which is known for its predominant rutile phase.
Despite dispersibility in acetone of the particles unexpected peak splitting of the first (110) reflection was observed.
Intensive long-term reaction studies on the tin oxide particles exhibited a time dependent extend of the peak splitting observed in XRD character-isation. Extended characterisation using solid-state multinuclear MAS-NMR spectroscopy indicate size dependent structure change due to partial fluorination of the particles during the solvothermal treatment.