Sintering of ultrafine undoped SnO2 powder

The sintering process of nanometric undoped SnO2 powder was studied. No mac roscopic shrinkage was observed during the sintening process. Grain growth kinetics investigation showed that surface diffusion is the dominant mechan ism in the temperature range 500-1300 degreesC. For temperatures higher tha n 1300 degreesC, high weight loss was measured, suggesting evaporation-cond ensation as the dominant mass-transport mechanism. Thermogravimetric analys is (TG) and mass spectroscopy studies showed that the surface contamination of the SnO2 particles by chemical species like H2O, OH- and CO2, has a str ong influence on the role of mass transport controlled by surface diffusion . (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.