Self-construction of SnO2 cubes based on aggration of nanorods

The SnO2 cubes with the rutile structure have been successfully synthesized without using any catalyst. Their morphology and microstructure were studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and elected area electron diffraction (SAED). It is revealed that the SnO2 nanocubes exhibit high crystalline quality. The size of the nanocubes ranges from 100 nm to 300 nm. The side surfaces of nanocubes are {110} planes, while their cube axes are [001] direction. The growth mechanism of SnO2 nanocubes was discussed and we suggested vapor-solid process should dominate the growth. These SnO2 nanostructures represent an important example of spontaneous organization.