Finely Tuned SnO2 Nanoparticles for Efficient Detection of Reducing and Oxidizing Gases: The Influence of Alkali Metal Cation on Gas-Sensing Properties.

Tin dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles were straightforwardly synthesized using an easily scaled-up liquid route that involves the hydrothermal treatment, either under acidic or basic conditions, of a commercial tin dioxide particle suspension including potassium counterions. After further thermal post-treatment, the nanomaterials have been thoroughly characterized by Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and nitrogen sorption porosimetry. Varying pH conditions and temperature of the thermal treatment provided cassiterite SnO2 nanoparticles with crystallite sizes ranging from 7.3 to 9.7 nm and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface areas ranging from 61 to 106 m2·g-1, acidic conditions favoring potassium cation removal. Upon exposure to a reducing gas (H2, CO, and volatile organic compounds such as ethanol and acetone) or oxidizing gas (NO2), layers of these SnO2 nanoparticles led to highly sensitive, reversible, and reproducible responses. The sensing results were discussed in regard to the crystallite size, specific area, valence band energy, Debye length, and chemical composition. Results highlight the impact of the counterion residuals, which affect the gas-sensing performance to an extent much higher than that of size and surface area effects. Tin dioxide nanoparticles prepared under acidic conditions and calcined in air showed the best sensing performances because of lower amount of potassium cations and higher crystallinity, despite the lower surface area.

Dehydration induced 2D-to-3D crystal-to-crystal network re-assembly and ferromagnetism tuning within two chiral copper(II)-tartrate coordination polymers.

The synthesis of two homochiral l-tartrate-copper(II) coordination polymers, [Cu2(C4H4O6)2(H2O)2·xH2O]n (1), and [Cu(C4H4O6)]n (2), under hydrothermal conditions, is reported. Compound 1 adopts a 2D layered network structure with a space group of P21, while compound 2 features a 3D network structure with a space group P21212. Interestingly, the 2D layered structure of compound 1 can undergo a crystal-to-crystal network reassembly, with the formation of the 3D network structure of compound 2 under dehydration conditions. Variable temperature and field magnetic studies reveal the existence of a distinct ferromagnetic interaction between Cu(2+) ions as the result of distinct syn-anti carboxylate bridging coordination modes.