Synthesis of SnO2 nano-sheets by a template-free hydrothermal method

Square SnO2 nano-sheets have been successfully synthesized by a template-free hydrothermal method basing on the reaction between SnCl2 and NaOH in ethanol/water solution. The products have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope. The size and morphology of nano-sheets could be controlled by changing the ratio of ethanol to water. Compared experiments showed that the addition of NaOH was crucial to the formation of SnO2 nano-sheets, and the addition of glycol could induce the formation of cabbage-like structure. The nano-sheets show a strong absorption peak around 330 nm, corresponding to a band gap value of 3.75 eV. This blue shift of the band gap energy was possibly induced by the spatial confinement of excitons in the nano-sheet structures.