Ultra-large scale synthesis of high electrochemical performance SnO2 quantum dots within 5 min at room temperature following a growth self-termination mechanism

• SnO2 quantum dots were prepared at an ultra-large scale at room temperature within 5 min.
• The grinding of SnCl2⋅2H2O and ammonium persulphate with morpholine produces quantum dots.
• The reactions were self-terminated through the rapid consumption of water.
• The obtained SnO2 quantum dots own high electrochemical performance.

SnO2 quantum dots are prepared at an ultra-large scale by a productive synthetic procedure without using any organic ligand. The grinding of solid mixture of SnCl2⋅2H2O and ammonium persulphate with morpholine in a mortar at room temperature produces 1.2 nm SnO2 quantum dots within 5 min. The formation of SnO2 is initiated by the reaction between tin ions and hydroxyl groups generated from hydrolysis of morpholine in the released hydrate water from SnCl2⋅2H2O. It is considered that as water is rapidly consumed by the hydrolysis reaction of morpholine, the growth process of particles is self-terminated immediately after their transitory period of nucleation and growth. As a result of simple procedure and high toleration to scaling up of preparation, at least 50 g of SnO2 quantum dots can be produced in one batch in our laboratory. The as prepared quantum dots present high electrochemical performance due to the effective faradaic reaction and the alternative trapping of electrons and holes.