Nanocrystalline zinc
peroxide is passivated against further oxidation
by the addition of minute, substoichiometric amounts of potassium
permanganate, which also endows it with increased thermal stability.
The oxidation state of manganese and the passivation mechanism are
deciphered by a comparative electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)
study of the manganese-doped zinc peroxide nanoparticles and manganese
oxide formed by reduction of permanganate by hydrogen peroxide as
well as unmodified ZnO2 nanoparticles. Temperature-dependent
in situ EPR studies at elevated temperatures allowed us to trace simultaneously
the temperature-dependent changes in abundance of superoxide radicals
and the formation of Mn(IV) species and also to identify Mn(III) species
at cryotemperatures. We conclude that the passivation is caused by
Mn(III) complexes that act as antioxidants removing superoxide radicals,
which are abundant in zinc peroxide and even more so in the manganese-doped
zinc peroxide.