New Route for Synthesis of Fluorescent SnO₂ Nanoparticles for Selective Sensing of Fe(III) in Aqueous Media.

A simple new route for synthesis of fluorescent SnO2 and its application as an efficient sensing material for Fe3+ in aqueous media is reported. The fluorescent SnO2 nanoparticles were obtained by oxidation of SnCl2, which when used as reducing agent for the reduction of organic nitro compounds to corresponding amino compounds in ethanol. The SnO2 nanoparticles have been characterized on the basis of powder-XRD, IR, UV-Vis, TEM, FESEM and EDX analysis and found that this material is highly fluorescent in aqueous media. Detail study revealed that this material functions as a selective probe for Fe3+ out of a large number of metal ions used. The oxygen vacancies (defects) generated on the surface of the SnO2 during synthesis, are the source of emission due to recombination of electrons with the photo-excited hole in the valance bond. The quenching of emission intensity in presence of Fe3+ is due to the nonradiative recombination of electrons and holes at the surface. This material is used for estimation of Fe3+ in real samples such as drinking water, tap water and soil.