Synthesis and characterization of tin and antimony based composites derived by mechanochemical in situ reduction of oxides

Composites consisting of tin and silicon dioxide or antimony and silicon dioxide were synthesized using high energy mechanical milling. The composites were made by the reactive milling of SnO or Sb2O3 with pure Si, resulting in the oxidation of silicon and the reduction of the metal oxides. The minimum time required to complete the reaction for the tin system was 170 min, while the minimum time for the antimony system was 230 min. X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy were used to determine the phases present in the composites. In addition, scanning electron microscopy, along with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), was used to characterize the microstructure and composition of the resultant material.