Preparation of Thermally Stable Mesoporous Tin Dioxide Powders with High Specific Surface Area by Utilizing Self-Assembly of Surfactants

Abstract

Thermally stable mesoporous SnO₂ powders was prepared from sodium stannate by utilizing the self-assembly of n-cetylpyridinium chloride (C₁₆PyCl), followed by treatment with phosphoric acid (PA, 0.1mol·dm^-3). Under the most suitable preparation conditions (C₁₆PyCl conc.=2.0 mass%, [C₁₆PyCl]/[Na₂SnO₃⋅3H₂O]=2.0, [Mesitylene]/[Na₂SnO₃⋅3H₂O]=2.5, pH=10, and aging temperature=20°C), an ordered mesoporous structure (d₁₀₀=ca. 3.1nm) with a large specific surface area (305m²·g^-1) was obtained after calcination of the resultant solid product (having ordered mesopores of d₁₀₀=ca. 4.1nm) at 600°C for 5h. It was confirmed that the PA treatment was useful for reducing the growth of SnO₂ crystallites and then improving the thermal stability of the mesoporous structure.