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(CH 3 COO) 2 ·2H 2 O 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(CH 3 COO) 2 ·2H 2 O 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 64 Zn + and 66 Zn + 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.