Preparation of nanosized spinel stannate, Zn2SnO4, from a hydroxide precursor

A new convenient method for the synthesis of spinel zinc orthostannate, Zn ₂SnO ₄ , has been developed. The synthesis proceeds during thermal treatment of a hydroxide precursor obtained by coprecipitation of Zn(NO ₃) ₂ and SnCl ₂ with Na ₂CO ₃ . It is shown that a product with a stoichiometric composition is obtained at a temperature much lower than that of usual solid state synthesis from oxides. This temperature is 750 °C when the precursor is fired without a preliminary treatment and 650 °C when mechanochemical activation precedes the heating. Under these conditions, deviation of the Zn ₂SnO ₄ composition from stoichiometry due to ZnO evaporation is avoided and the product has nanosized grains with an average size of the order of 20 nm.