Versatile nanobead-scaffolded N-SnO2 mesoporous microspheres: one-step synthesis and superb performance in dye-sensitized solar cell, gas sensor, and photocatalytic degradation of dye†
Abstract
Nanobead-scaffolded N-containing SnO2 mesoporous microspheres (NSMMs) with a high surface area were synthesized in an ethylenediamine (En) solvent system using a one-pot solvothermal route. These spheres are micrometer-sized and consist of packed nanobeads with diameters of ∼10 nm, and possess a specific surface area of 93.64 m2 g−1 and main pore sizes of ∼3.56 nm. All structural features of the hierarchically assembled and large well-defined spheres, diameter range, mesoporous properties, higher specific surface areas, high-level donor density, and negative shift of the conduction band could have applications in a variety of areas. As an example,