The study of metal-oxide sol-gel nanocomposites using scanning probe microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

With the use of atomic-force microscopy (AFM) technique and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) morphology and composition of the surface in SnO₂-SiO₂ nanocomposites were investigated. The samples were obtained by sol-gel method for their use as sensor agents. It was found that the obtained nanocomposites differ from each other as by the distribution of cluster sizes at the surface layer as by the pores size in a dependence on the composition and preparation technique. The study by X-ray photoelectron microscopy demonstrated that in the composites obtained with the use of the above-named technique tin was present mainly in the form of dioxide with a little admixture of non-oxidized metallic tin. This fact can have a certain impact on the functional characteristics of the sensor structures. (paper)