Novel solid-state route to nanostructured tin, zinc and cerium oxides as potential materials for sensors

Solid-state sensor nanostructured materials (SnO2, ZnO and CeO2) have been prepared by pyrolysis of macromolecular complexes: PSP-co-4-PVP x (SnCl2)n, PSP-co-4-PVP x (ZnCl2)n and PSP-co-4-PVP x (Ce(NO3)3)n in several molar ratios under air at 800 degrees C. The as-prepared nanostructured SnO2 exhibits morphologies and particle sizes which are dependent upon the molar ratio of the SnCl2:PSP-co-4-PVP. When a larger weight fraction of the inorganic salt in the precursor mixture is used (1:10 > 1:5 > 1.1) larger crystalline crystals are found for each oxide. For ZnO and CeO2 agglomerates of morphologies from the respective hexagonal and cubic structures were observed with typical sizes of 30-50 nm in both cases for a precursor mixture ratio of 1:1.