Stannic oxide, also known as tin oxide, is an inorganic compound consisted of tin and oxygen, which is widely applied in various fields. The dominant usage of stannic oxide is to serve as a precursor in the production of other, especially trivalent, tin compounds or salts. It is also commonly employed as an opacifier in glazes. The addition of larger amounts of stannic oxide enhances the refractoriness of glazes and turns it from transparent to an opaque white. Stannic oxide is also used in the production of customized glass by giving transparent glass an opaque, porcelain-like, opaque appearance. It has proved to be a highly effective polishing material for glass and quarried rock, such as marble, granite and quartz. Besides, stannous oxide can be used for llumination with UV light in combination with cerium oxide in ceramic form. It also has a broad range of applications in other areas, such as semiconductors, photovoltaic materials, solar cells, lithium ion batteries, photocatalysts, and as gas-sensing agents in solid-state detectors.
