Preparation of thermally stable large mesoporous SnO2 powders by employing a triblock copolymer

Large mesoporous SnO2 powders have been prepared from SnCl4.5H(2)O by a templating method using a triblock copolymer as a surfactant. Ethanol-rinsing of resulting precipitates resulted in formation of large mesoporous SnO2 Powder having a broad pore size distribution with a maximum pore volume around 15 nm after calcination at 400 degreesC for 5 h. Treatment of as-precipitated products with phosphoric acid was not useful for improving the thermal stability of large mesoporous structure, whereas it prevented the growth of SnO2 crystallites during the calcination. In contrast, large mesoporous SnO2 powders having a sharp pore size distribution with a maximum pore volume around 3.5 nm and a specific surface area larger than 70 m(2) g(-1) could be prepared by deionized water-rinsing. It was revealed that aging treatment of as-precipitated products led to a more uniform pore size distribution after the calcination, although the specific surface area decreased accordingly.