Process Characterization of Ultra-fine Tin Oxide Fibers Synthesis

Abstract

ABSTRACTTin oxide (SnO2) with rutile structure is a wide-band gap semiconductor that has been used extensively in optoelectronic devices and sensors. A fibrous shape is especially favorable for the sensor applications. The authors synthesized micro-/nano- SnO2 fibers from a precursor solution of poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO), chloroform (CHCl3) and dimethyldineodecanoate tin (C22H44O4Sn) using electrospinning and metallorganics decomposition techniques. This paper uses Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis, and x-ray diffraction to reveal a series of chemical and physical changes from the starting chemicals to the final product of ultra-fine SnO2 fibers: the solvent CHCl3 evaporates during the electrospinning; the organic groups in PEO and C22H44O4Sn decompose with Sn-C bond in C22H44O4Sn replaced by Sn-O between 220 and 300°C, and transform into rutile structure between 300 and 380°C; the incipient rutile lattice develops into a relatively complete degree after sintering at higher temperatures up to 600°C.