Pd-doped SnO2 nanoparticles synthesized by precipitation/thermal decomposition metho

Tin dioxide nanoparticles were synthesized by precipitation coupling with thermal decomposition methods. The Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) Vent pulp was used as the dispersant. Tin chloride pentrahydrate (SnCl4.5H2O) and ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) were used as starting materials to complete the chemical reaction. The precipitate was filtered, washed with deionized water, dried at 80°C for 24h and calcined at 600°C, 650°C and 700°C for 1h. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis for the surface area determination. The accurate crystallite sizes of SnO2 nanoparticles with the presence and absence of the pulp were found to be ranging from 5–15 nm and 5–30 nm, respectively. The specific surface areas (SSA) were 62.5 m2/g and 26.6 m2/g, respectively. Tin dioxide nanoparticles were doped with 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00 mol% of palladium by the impregnation method. Pd-doped SnO2 nanoparticles were also characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The results showed that the accurate crystallite sizes and the specific surface area (SSA) were found to be ranging from 5–10 nm and 58.2–65.0 m2/g, respectively.