A New Family of Microporous Materials Formed by TinIV Phosphonate Nanoparticles

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A New Family of Microporous Materials Formed by
Tin(IV) Phosphonate NanoparticlesAyyappan
Subbiah, David Pyle, Adam Rowland, Texas AM
University, DMR-0332453
Porous materials find uses as sorbents, ion
exchangers, catalysts, sensors and lately as
hydrogen storage materials. We have discovered a
new family of porous materials with surface areas
of 200-500 m2/g. They are tin(IV) aryl or
alkylphosphonates that form nanoparticles that
aggregate into spheres that are 1-10 microns in
diameter as shown in the graphic. The spheres at
high magnification exhibit pores that must run
through the body of the sphere given the very
large surface areas. J. Amer. Chem. Soc.,
submitted (2005).
SEM of Sn(IV) phenylphosphonate showing the
micron sized spheres and the porosity of the
surface.