Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Polyvinylpyrrolidone Assisted Microwave Hydrothermal Grown Tin Oxide Photocatalysts

Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Polyvinylpyrrolidone Assisted Microwave Hydrothermal Grown Tin Oxide Photocatalysts

Pure and well mono-dispersed SnO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized by a microwave assisted hydrothermal method, where polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was used as a surfactant and SnCl₂.2H₂O, as tin source. The structure and surface morphology of as-obtained products were well characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The results show that the particle size of SnO₂ nanoparticles is about 200-300 nm and there are many small prisms grown on SnO₂ nanoparticles surface.