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 (ZnCl2·2H2O, NiCl2·6H2O, and SnCl4·5H2O) 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.