Morphological and phase control of tin oxide single-crystals synthesized by dissolution and recrystallization of bulk SnO powders

Various types of tin oxide particle, including square SnO platelets, truncated octahedral SnO crystals, and monodispepersed SnO2 nanoparticles, were synthesized by the dissolution and recrystallization of bulk SnO powder via the thermal decomposition of tin oleate in a coordinating solvent of tri-n-octylamine at 340 °C. The results reveal that the atmosphere and reaction time are important factors that affect the shape of tin(II) oxide and the oxidation state of tin(II or IV) oxide. As tin oleate decomposed in a N2 atmosphere, truncated octahedral SnO crystals formed. When the thermal decomposition was conducted in air, square SnO platelets formed after a 30-min reaction time. When the reaction time was extended to 180 min, the square SnO platelets decomposed and transformed into nanocrystalline SnO2 particles.