Abstract

The synthesis of tin oxide (SnO₂) nanoparticles by mechanochemical reaction (SnCl₂+Na₂CO₃) with NaCl as diluent and subsequent thermal treatment was investigated using differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Heat treatment of the as-milled powder at 600 °C in air and removal of NaCl through washing produced the SnO₂nanocrystallites with an average crystal size of about 28 nm, varying with the thermal treatment temperature. The mechanism of nanocrystallites growth is discussed.