Issue 6, 2019, Issue in Progress

Growth mechanism of SnC2H4O2 nanowires prepared by the polyol process as SnO2 precursor nanowires

Abstract

Tin oxide (SnO2) nanowires are produced by the calcination of tin glycolate (SnC2H4O2) nanowires, which are synthesized with tin oxalate (SnC2O4) and ethylene glycol via the so-called polyol process. In this study, the growth mechanism of SnC2H4O2 nanowires was investigated by monitoring the synthesis using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The length and diameter of the nanowires were 9.25 μm and 0.37 μm, respectively; the former increased at a rate of 1.85 μm h−1 but the latter did not increase over time. Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy showed that the nanowires were composed of SnC2H4O2 instead of SnC2O4. Changes in the components of the reaction solution were also confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and high-performance liquid chromatography. SnC2H4O2 was formed by the substitution of the oxalate coordinated to tin by ethylene glycolate, which was produced by the deprotonation of ethylene glycol. In this reaction, oxalate gradually changed to formic acid and carbon dioxide, and SnC2H4O2 grew as a nanowire through O–Sn–O bond formation. In addition, when ethylene glycol was mixed with 1,2-propanediol, branched SnC2H4O2 nanowires were formed. The branching was due to the interference of the methyl group of 1,2-propanediol with the growth of bundle-type nanowires. The branched nanowires had a higher surface area-to-mass ratio than the bundled ones based on dispersion measurements. Knowledge of the growth mechanism and reaction conditions that affect morphology would be valuable in modifying the physical and electrical properties of metal oxide nanowires.

Graphical abstract: Growth mechanism of SnC2H4O2 nanowires prepared by the polyol process as SnO2 precursor nanowires

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
27 Nov 2018
Accepted
10 Jan 2019
First published
23 Jan 2019
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

RSC Adv., 2019,9, 3203-3207

Growth mechanism of SnC2H4O2 nanowires prepared by the polyol process as SnO2 precursor nanowires

D. Park and M. S. Lee, RSC Adv., 2019, 9, 3203 DOI: 10.1039/C8RA09738K

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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