The Nanocrystalline SnO ₂ –TiO ₂ System—Part I: Structural Features

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The phases present and their crystal structure and microstructure in the nanocrystalline SnO 2 –TiO 2 system were studied in the compositional range Sn 1− x Ti x O 2 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.9). There is an apparent increase in the solubility limits in the solid solution compared to bulk crystalline SnO 2 –TiO 2 . No two phase region was observed with increasing TiO 2 content. Electron energy loss spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy ( FTIR ), and X‐ray diffraction ( XRD ) of the nanopowders showed that the apparent increase in solubility is related to the systematic Ti 4+ segregation on the particle surface (surface excess) at the SnO 2 ‐rich side, avoiding the nucleation of a second phase even at high Ti 4+ contents. Is this finding in accord with Raman spectra, which suggest localized Ti‐rich sites in the absence of a second crystalline phase. Ti 4+ surface excess is also lead to a modification of the surface hydroxyls and a decrease in the crystallite size of the nanoparticles (with a concomitant increase in surface area), with expected implications to catalytic and sensorial properties of these nanoparticles.