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 (SnCl
₄
.5H
₂
O) and ammonium hydroxide (NH
₄
OH) 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 SnO
₂
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 m
²
/g and 26.6 m
²
/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 SnO
₂
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 m
²
/g, respectively.