Effects of Air Pressure on the Fabrication of Nano-Sized Tin Oxide Powder by Spray Pyrolysis Process

Abstract

In this study, nano-sized tin oxide powder with an average particle size of below 50 nm is prepared by the spray pyrolysis process. The influence of air pressure on the properties of the generated powder is examined. Along with the rise of air pressure from <TEX>$0.1kg/cm^2$</TEX> to <TEX>$3kg/cm^2$</TEX>, the average size of the droplet-shaped particles decreases, while the particle size distribution becomes more regular. When the air pressure increases from <TEX>$0.1kg/cm^2$</TEX> to <TEX>$1kg/cm^2$</TEX>, the average size of the dropletshaped particles, which is around 30-50 nm, shows hardly any change. When the air pressure increases up to <TEX>$3kg/cm^2$</TEX>, the average size of the droplet-shaped particles decreases to 30 nm. For the independent generated particles, when the air pressure is at <TEX>$0.1kg/cm^2$</TEX>, the average particle size is approximately 100 nm; when the air pressure increases up to <TEX>$0.5kg/m^2$</TEX>, the average particle size becomes more than 100 nm, and the surface structure becomes more compact; when the air pressure increases up to <TEX>$1kg/cm^2$</TEX>, the surface structure is almost the same as in the case of <TEX>$0.5kg/cm^2$</TEX>, and the average particle size is around 80- 100 nm; when the air pressure increases up to <TEX>$3kg/cm^2$</TEX>, the surface structure becomes incompact compared to the cases of other air pressures, and the average particle size is around 80-100 nm. Along with the rise of air pressure from <TEX>$0.1kg/cm^2$</TEX> to <TEX>$0.5kg/cm^2$</TEX>, the XRD peak intensity slightly decreases, and the specific surface area increases. When the air pressure increases up to <TEX>$1kg/cm^2$</TEX> and <TEX>$3kg/cm^2$</TEX>, the XRD peak intensity increases, while the specific surface area also increases.