In situ thermo-TOF-SIMS study of thermal decomposition of zinc acetate dihydrate

Time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF‐SIMS) was used for an in situ thermal decomposition study of Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O forming ZnO nanoparticles. TOF‐SIMS spectra were recorded at regular temperature intervals of 25 °C in positive and negative detection modes in a dynamic thermal process. Controlled heating (5 °C min−1) of Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O was also carried out using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in an oxygen atmosphere (20 ml min−1). Nearly spherical ZnO nanoparticles with no agglomeration and a narrow size distribution (diameter ∼50 nm) were observed, which were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and x‐ray diffraction. In situ thermo‐TOF‐SIMS was used to monitor the 64Zn+ and 66Zn+ ion abundances as a function of temperature, which showed a similar profile to that observed for weight loss in TGA during decomposition. Based on the experimental results, a possible decomposition mechanism for the formation of ZnO is proposed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.