From nanoscale liquid spheres to anisotropic crystalline particles of tin: decomposition of decamethylstannocene in organic solvents.

Routes are presented for synthesizing nano- and mesostructured β-tin particles in the form of monocrystalline spheres, cubes, and bars, as well as polycrystalline rods and needles, by the decomposition of decamethylstannocene in organic solvents under various conditions. The formation of the observed shapes is based on the presence of liquidlike and of partly crystalline droplets. These particle stages allow structure-determining processes such as entire coalescence, oriented superficial coalescence or superficial induced crystallization. Entire coalescence and oriented superficial coalescence take place in the absence of surfactants; the superficially induced crystallization occurs in the presence of ionic additives. The observed tin morphologies depend on the competition between droplet growth and crystallization behavior. The different tin particles are investigated by electron microscopy (SEM, TEM, HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).