Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Assisted Ultrasonic Synthesis of SnO Nanosheets and Their Use as Conformal Templates for Tin Dioxide Nanostructures

Single crystalline SnO nanosheets with exposed {001} facets have been prepared by an ultrasonic aqueous synthesis in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone, which hinders the spontaneous formation of the truncated bipyramidal SnO Microctystals and exfoliate them into layer-by-layer hierarchical structures and further into separate SnO nanosheets. The SnO nanosheets have been used as conformal sacrificial templates converted into polycrystalline SnO nu as well as layered SnO/SnO2 nanostructures, by calcination in air. The concept of fabrication of two-dimensional tin oxide nanostructures demonstrated here may be relevant for the crystal design of layered materials, in general.