Biopolymer-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of SnO2 porous nanospheres and their photocatalytic properties

Abstract

Porous SnO2 nanospheres with uniform morphologies and sizes were fabricated via a biopolymer (sodium alginate, SA)-assisted hydrothermal route. The products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high solution TEM (HRTEM), nitrogen adsorption–desorption, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The obtained tetragonal SnO2 nanospheres were characteristic of hierarchical mesoporous structures with good crystallinity and high purity. Moreover, it was found that the porous SnO2 nanospheres were composed of numerous tiny nanocrystals as building blocks and the SA played a key role in formation of the porous nanospheres with uniform morphologies and sizes. Additionally, the photocatalytic activity of the obtained porous SnO2 nanospheres under sunlight irradiation was also evaluated by degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB).