title: Tin(IV) oxide coatings from hybrid organotin/polymer nanoparticles.
abstract: Tin dioxide coatings are widely applied in glasses and ceramics to improve not only optical, but also mechanical properties. In this work, we report a new method to prepare SnO(2) coatings from aqueous dispersions of polymer/organotin hybrid nanoparticles. Various liquid organotin compounds were encapsulated in polymeric nanoparticles synthesized by miniemulsion polymerization. Large amounts of tetrabutyltin and bis(tributyltin) could be successfully incorporated in cross-linked and noncross-linked polystyrene nanoparticles that served as sacrificial templates for the formation of tin oxide coatings after etching with oxygen plasma or calcination. Cross-linked polystyrene particles containing bis(tributyltin)--selected for having a high boiling point--were found to be especially suited for the oxide coating formation. The content of metal in the particles was up to 12 wt %, and estimations by thermogravimetrical indicated that at least 96% of the total organotin compound was converted to SnO(2). The resulting coatings were mainly identified as tetragonal SnO(2) (cassiterite) by X-ray diffraction, although a coexistence of this phase with orthorhombic SnO(2) was observed for samples prepared with bis(tributyltin).
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany. munoz@mpip-mainz.mpg.de
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Espí
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dolcet
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rossow
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Landfester
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crespy