Tin dioxide(SnO2) nanoparticlesweresynthesizedbyaconventionalprecipitation
methodusingthereactionbetweentinchloridepentahydrateandammoniasolutions.
The obtainedpowderswerecalcinedatvariedtemperaturesfrom300to1050 1C, and
then characterizedbyusingthermogravimetricanalysis,differentialthermalanalysisand
Fourier transformationinfraredspectroscopy.Theaveragecrystallitesize,determinedby
x-ray diffraction,wasfoundtobeintherangeof3.45–23.5 nm.Theanalysisexhibiteda
tetragonalphase.Theactivationenergyofcrystalgrowthwascalculatedandfoundtobe
12.12kJ/mol.Themicrostructureofnanoparticleswasexaminedbyhighresolution
transmission electronmicroscopy.OpticalpropertieswereinvestigatedbyaUV–vis
absorptionspectrophotometer.Thecalculatedopticalbandgapliesbetween4.75–4.25eV
as aresultofincreasingthecalcinationtemperaturesandcrystallitesize.