Self-assembly to prepare the ordered hexagonal mesostructured tin oxide/surfactant composite and its room temperature optical properties

Through self-assembly approach, tin oxide with an ordered hexagonal mesostructured tin oxide/surfactant composite (Sn–H) was synthesized in the presence of cationic surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB: CH3(CH2)15N+(CH3)3Br−) at room temperature. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results clearly showed the existence of ordered hexagonal mesostructure in the composite. According to the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectrum, the red-shift in the 3d5/2 peak position from the crystalline SnO2 to the Sn–H composite indicates a change of microenvironments for tin, and this change is attributed to the interactions of surfactant CTAB with SnO2. In comparison with SnO2 bulk, the red-shift of the adsorption band of Sn–H composite can be clearly seen. The emission band of room temperature photoluminescence (RTPL) in the green spectral range was observed. The results obtained indicate that the interfacial effect between the tin oxide and the surfactants plays an important role in the optical properties.