Synthesis, characterization and hydrogen storage characteristics of flower-like SnO2 porous microspheres

• Published in: Materials letters Vol. 119; pp. 36 - 38
• Main Authors: Wang, Zhiyuan, Wang, Fengping, Li, Mingyan, Zubair Iqbal, M., Javed, Qurat-Ul-Ain, Lu, Yanzhen, Xu, Mei, Li, Quanshui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15-03-2014
• Subjects: Hydrogen absorption; Nanocrystalline materials; Porous materials; SnO2 hollow nanospheres; Sucrose-assisted solvothermal synthesis; SnO2 hollow nanospheres; Hydrogen absorption; Nanocrystalline materials; Sucrose-assisted solvothermal synthesis; Porous materials
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2013.12.101

Flower-like SnO2 porous microspheres self-assembled by hollow nanospheres have been successfully synthesized via a sucrose-assisted solvothermal method. The morphology, structure and composition of the as-prepared product have been characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) with selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that the microspheres are self-assembled completely by well-defined SnO2 hollow nanospheres with porous wall composed of single crystalline nanoparticles. A growth mechanism has been proposed to explain the growth processes for such novel structures. First ever study on hydrogen absorption characteristics of the flower-like SnO2 microspheres performed at 373K shows a good absorption capacity of 0.92wt%.
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•Flower-like SnO2 porous microspheres have been successfully synthesized by sucrose-assisted solvothermal synthesis.•The growth mechanism for such novel structure is attributed to the self-assembly of prime hollow nanospheres.•The novel structure shows a good hydrogen absorption capacity of 0.92wt%.