Chimie douce preparation, characterization and photocatalytic activity of nanocrystalline SnO2

Nanosize particles SnO2 gel was prepared by mixing SnCl2·2H2O powder with distilled water and stirring at room temperature for 2 days. The solid phase of the gel obtained was characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, transmission electron microscopy and FT-IR spectrocopy. The gel obtained was investigated for photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Congo Red aqueous solution and compared with the gel dried at room temperature for 2 days and the gel heated at 600 °C for 1 day, The results obtained indicates that the wet gel that has not been dried or heated shows higher photocatalytic activity. This highly photoactive wet gel shows less agglomeration of the nanosize particles (2–3 nm) of SnO2.