Structural and crystal growth kinetics studies for SnO2 nanoparticles prepared via hydrothermal route

Abstract

ABSTRACTTin oxide nanoparticles with crystallite size (1.9–3 nm) were synthesized via hydrothermal route. The role of autoclave temperature (TA) on the structural parameters and surface morphology of the as-synthesized SnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) was followed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The thermal behavior of the as-synthesized SnO2 NPs was carried out using thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA) techniques under non-isothermal conditions. The effect of TA on the activation energy of crystal growth (Ec) and the Avrami exponent (n) of SnO2 NPs were determined by different methods. The reaction mechanism controlling the growth process was discussed in terms of the results obtained using different iso-conversional methods to determine the local Ec(α) and n(α).