Preparation and Characterization of Sn Micro- and Nanoparticles

This study investigates the preparation and characterization of tin micro- and nanoparticles with an emphasis on phase-transformation-induced particle formation and chemical purity. Microparticles were generated through repeated phase transformations between β-Sn (white tin) and α-Sn (gray tin), exploiting the associated volumetric changes to induce fragmentation and particle size reduction. The evolution of particle size distribution was systematically analyzed as a function of transformation cycles. The data were analyzed using the modified Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov equation, and the saturation particle size corresponds to the grain size of the original tin sheet. The phase transformation was induced homogeneously by α-Sn particles and heterogeneously by InSb, and the results were comparable. The influence of the surrounding atmosphere was studied. The increase in oxygen content during repeated phase transformation was measured. In parallel, tin nanoparticles were synthesized via a solution-based route using ammonium hexachlorostannate as a precursor. The nanoparticles precipitated from this solution at mild temperatures during the β-Sn to α-Sn transformation at 13.2 °C. Both micro- and nanoparticles were characterized in terms of morphology and size distribution. The results provide insight into the relationship between phase transformation and particle size reduction mechanisms, and offer a controllable pathway for the preparation of tin particles across micro- and nanoscale regimes.