Preparation of SnO2 whiskers via the decomposition of tin oxalate

Issue Title: Special Issue: ICE-2005 International Conference on Electroceramics A new method for preparing SnO^sub 2^ whiskers by the decomposition of SnC^sub 2^O^sub 4^ is suggested. A Whisker-like morphology of a SnC^sub 2^O^sub 4^ precipitate was attained via the gradual addition of an oxalic acid solution to a hot SnCl^sub 2^ aqueous solution (T > 50^sup ^C). In comparison, when the solution temperature was either lower than 50^sup ^C or when ethanol was used as the solvent, the SnC^sub 2^O^sub 4^ precipitate showed an angular and relatively isotropic morphology. The morphology of the SnC^sub 2^O^sub 4^ precipitate remained even after its thermal decomposition into SnO^sub 2^ at 400^sup ^C indicating that SnC^sub 2^O^sub 4^ precipitation is a key step in preparing the whiskers. The formation mechanism of SnO^sub 2^ whiskers was explained by the supersaturation during the precipitation of SnC^sub 2^O^sub 4^.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]