Production and characterization of nanocrystalline SnO2 films on Al2O3 agglomerates by CVD in a fluidized bed

In this paper, nanocrystalline SnO2 films an coated on ultrafine Al2O3 particles by hydrolyzing SnCl4 vapor using fluidization chemical vapor deposition (FCVD) technology. The morphology and distribution of SnO2 films in Al2O3 agglomerates as well as on ultrafine Al2O3 particles are determined by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), EPMA, high resolution electron microscopy (HREM) etc. The results show that nanocrystalline SnO2 films are deposited uniformly throughout the whole agglomerate if Al2O3 agglomerates are fluidized and the films are made up of both amorphous SnO2 and 6-10 nm crystallites on the surfaces of ultrafine Al2O3 particles under different coating conditions. FCVD can be developed into a competitive method for surface modification of ultrafine particles. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.