Oriented and low-density tin dioxide film by sol-gel mineralizing tin-contained hydroxypropyl cellulose lyotropic liquid crystal for laser-induced extreme ultraviolet emission

Abstract A series of tin‐doped hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) lyotropic liquid crystal (LC) was synthesized using a simple process and their properties were characterized using selective reflection, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), and the band texture observed under polarized optical microscope. The present preparation is applicable for mass production using large substrate with low cost HPC. A cholesteric lyotropic LC phase was observed for the hybrid solution with higher than 40 wt % HPC. After sol–gel condensation, the HPC‐Sn hybrid LC films were calcined at 400 °C and the as‐prepared product was determined to obtain tin dioxide (SnO 2 ) which was characterized using WAXD. The iridescent color and ∼2 nm structure seen after the condensation disappeared in the as‐prepared SnO 2 . Scanning electronic microscope images of the SnO 2 showed that the HPC content in the HPC‐Sn hybrid played an important role in controlling the SnO 2 morphology. A spectrum of relatively monochromatic extreme ultraviolet (13.5 nm) emission was measured in the as‐prepared SnO 2 in comparison with bulk tin and inverse opal SnO 2 . © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4566–4576, 2009