Hydrogen peroxide induced formation of peroxystannate nanoparticles

Stable, amorphous potassium peroxystannate nanoparticles of controlled average size—in the range 10–100 nm—and of controlled hydrogen peroxide content—in the range of 19–30 wt%—were synthesized by hydrogen peroxide induced polymerization in water–potassium hexahydroxostannate solutions. The sol phase and the precipitate were characterized by vibrational spectroscopies, 119Sn NMR, XPS and XRD using crystalline K2Sn(OH)6 and K2Sn(OOH)6 reference materials. This is the first study to show that peroxocoordination induces polymerization of a main group element. 119Sn NMR studies show that peroxotin coordination and polymerization took place already in the hydrogen peroxide–water phase. The high abundance of peroxotin bonds revealed by 119Sn MAS NMR, vibrational spectroscopy, and XPS suggests that the particles are predominantly made of peroxo bridged tin networks. Although the particles are highly stable in the dry phase as well as in alcohol solutions and do not lose hydrogen peroxide upon storage, they release their stored hydrogen peroxide content by exposure to water.