Preparation of nanocrystalline metal oxide powders with the surfactant-mediated method

Nanocrystalline metal oxides (ZnO, NiO, and SnO2) powders with an average particle diameter of 18-55 nm have been successfully prepared with the surfactant-mediated method. The cationic surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB) and the hydrous metal chlorides (ZnCl2.2H(2)O, NiCl2.6H(2)O, and SnCl4.5H(2)O) appear to be the good candidates for obtaining a high yield of nanoparticles. The resultant products have been characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The resulting powders are highly crystalline and largely monodisperse oxide particles. The surfactant-mediated method turned out to be suited for the preparation of the nanocrystalline oxide powders. Through this method, it is possible to obtain nanocrystalline metal oxide powders. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.