Synthesis and characterization of new macroporous SnO₂ foams

Macroporous SnO₂ foam was successfully synthesized via a simple soft-chemical route by hybridization between alkylamine and tin(IV) oxide. According to X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, the as-prepared SnO₂ foam had a highly ordered lamella structure along the crystallographic c-axis, which transformed to a rutile phase after thermal treatment at 300 °C. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the Sn K-edge revealed that SnO₂ particles in the hybrid material maintained their nanosized structure after hybridization with alkylamine. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images clearly showed that the as-prepared SnO₂ foam had a macroporous structure. This synthetic route can be extended to the development of open frameworks with good electrochemical properties in battery applications.