Preparation and photocatalytic activity of SnO2

• Published in: Materials letters Vol. 170; pp. 25 - 30
• Main Authors: Zhiyong, Yu, Ruiying, Qiu, Huanrong, Li, Zhiyin, Wang, Xiaohong, Ma, Chaonan, Dong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-05-2016
• Subjects: Carbon; Dyes; Isopropanol; Methyl orange; Oxalates; Photocatalysis; Photodegradation; Scavengers; Semiconductor; SnO2; Tin dioxide; Tin oxides; Photodegradation; SnO2; Semiconductor; Methyl orange; Photocatalysis
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2015.12.100

SnO2 is prepared by the hydrolysis and the automatic oxidation of SnCl2 in water, it shows the photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange in water under the UV light illumination. In the above process, methyl orange concentration decreases quickly, the total organic carbon (TOC) decreases slowly; inorganic ions (SO42−, NO3−, NH4+) can be formed; the pH value in the system decreases gradually; a small quantity of HO· can be generated. In order to estimate the roles of active species during the above process, isopropanol, ammonium oxalate, and 1,4-benzoquinone, as the scavengers for HO·, h+, O2·− are introduced into the systems respectively. Isopropanol and (NH4)2C2O4 are effective scavengers for active species HO· and h+ respectively; but 1,4-benzoquinone is not a satisfactory scavenger to capture O2·− at least in this work. At last, SnO2 is characterized by N2 sorption, DRS, XRD, SEM and TEM.
•SnO2 is prepared by the hydrolysis and the automatic oxidation of SnCl2 in water.•SnO2 shows the photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange.•Inorganic ions (SO42−, NO3−, NH4+) and HO· can be formed during the above process.•1,4-benzoquinone is not a satisfactory scavenger to capture O2·− in this work.