Facile synthesis of a crystalline, high-surface-area SnO2 aerogel

Preparation of a low-density, high-surface-area SnO2 aerogel (see Figure inset), comprised of interconnected, randomly oriented crystalline (rutile) SnO2 nanoparticles similar to 3-5 nm in size is reported. X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy at the Sri M-4.5 edge reveals that the electronic structure of the SnO2 aerogel is similar to that of tetragonal SnO, rather than SnO2 or beta-Sn, with additional Sn-related electronic states close to the conduction band minimum.