SnO

tin(II) oxide · stannous oxide

SnO is a thermodynamically stable semiconducting oxide used primarily as a high-capacity anode material in advanced battery research.

Crystal structure of SnO
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About tin(II) oxide

SnO is a semiconducting binary oxide that occupies a stable position on the thermodynamic convex hull. As a member of the conversion oxide anode class, it is highly valued for its ability to facilitate high-capacity electrochemical reactions through the reversible formation and decomposition of metallic tin phases.

This material is a subject of extensive research due to its significant structural diversity, with hundreds of reported configurations across major databases. Its electronic nature and structural stability make it a compelling candidate for advanced battery technologies seeking to surpass the limitations of conventional intercalation materials.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for tin(II) oxide, aggregated across 4 databases.

Band Gap

0.41–1.64 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

On hull (stable)
2 DFT sources

Structures

429
4 databases, 40 space groups
Synthesis

Synthesis Routes

Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting SnO.

Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Uses

Applications

Where tin(II) oxide is used.

lithium-ion battery anodescatalysisgas sensorsoptoelectronic devices
Intellectual Property

Patent Landscape

9 patents reference SnO or close compositional variants.

PatentTitleAssigneeGranted
8603418Process for making SnO
8974752Process for treating crusty SnO
8501293Plurality of SnO flakes
4695330Method of manufacturing internal oxidized Ag-SnO system alloy contact materials
5102480Ag-SnO-CdO electrical contact materials and manufacturing method thereof
4647322Internal oxidized Ag-SnO system alloy electrical contact materials
4680162Method for preparing Ag-SnO system alloy electrical contact material
4243413Integrated Ag-SnO alloy electrical contact materials
5078810Method of making Ag-SnO contact materials by high pressure internal oxidation
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about tin(II) oxide, answered from cross-validated data.

What is SnO?

SnO is a thermodynamically stable semiconducting oxide used primarily as a high-capacity anode material in advanced battery research.

More questions
What is SnO used for?
tin(II) oxide (SnO) is used in lithium-ion battery anodes, catalysis, gas sensors, and optoelectronic devices.
What is the band gap of SnO?
tin(II) oxide (SnO) has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.41–1.64 eV across 429 reported structures.
Is SnO a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a band gap up to 1.64 eV it is a semiconductor.
Is SnO thermodynamically stable?
Yes — tin(II) oxide (SnO) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. on hull (stable).
How many polymorphs of SnO are known?
429 structures of SnO are reported across 4 databases, spanning 40 distinct space groups.
How is SnO synthesized?
Literature-reported routes for SnO include sol gel (10 procedures documented).
What elements does SnO contain?
tin(II) oxide (SnO) contains O and Sn (2 elements).
Where does the data for SnO come from?
SnO data is cross-referenced from latticegraph.
Comparison

How It Compares

Within the conversion oxide anodes class.

Within the family of conversion oxide anodes, SnO offers a distinct electrochemical profile compared to siblings like SnO2. While both are tin-based, SnO provides a different pathway for lithiation, and it stands out among transition metal oxides like CuO or Fe2O3 by leveraging the unique alloying chemistry of tin to achieve high theoretical capacities.

Explore

Related Compounds

Other Conversion Oxide Anodes in the database.

Data sources & attribution
  • latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform

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