A Facile Method for Loading CeO2 Nanoparticles on Anodic TiO2 Nanotube Arrays

Yulong Liao,Qiye Wen,Huaiwu Zhang,Xiaoyi Wang,Dainan Zhang,Botao Yuan,Yuanxun Li,Zhiyong Zhong

doi:10.1186/s11671-018-2504-7

Yulong Liao, Qiye Wen + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-018-2504-7

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Abstract

In this paper, a facile method was proposed to load CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs) on anodic TiO2 nanotube (NT) arrays, which leads to a formation of CeO2/TiO2 heterojunctions. Highly ordered anatase phase TiO2 NT arrays were fabricated by using anodic oxidation method, then these individual TiO2 NTs were used as tiny “nano-containers” to load a small amount of Ce(NO3)3 solutions. The loaded anodic TiO2 NTs were baked and heated to a high temperature of 450 °C, under which the Ce(NO3)3 would be thermally decomposed inside those nano-containers. After the thermal decomposition of Ce(NO3)3, cubic crystal CeO2 NPs were obtained and successfully loaded into the anodic TiO2 NT arrays. The prepared CeO2/TiO2 heterojunction structures were characterized by a variety of analytical technologies, including XRD, SEM, and Raman spectra. This study provides a facile approach to prepare CeO2/TiO2 films, which could be very useful for environmental and energy-related areas.

Highlights

As is well known, titanium dioxide (TiO2) materials have been widely used for a great number of applications such as solar cells, water treatment materials, catalysts and so on [1–6]
Synthesis of CeO2/TiO2 Heterojunction The individual TiO2 NTs inside the anodic films were taken as thousands small nano-containers to load the raw materials of CeO2, which will be full with the Ce contained solutions
The diffraction peaks located at 25.28°, 36.80°, 37.80°, 48.05°, 53.89°, 55.06°, 62.68°, 70.30°, 75.03°, and 76.02° were attributed to the anatase lattice plane (101), (103), (004), (200), (105), (211), (204), (220), (215), and (301), respectively

Summary

Introduction

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) materials have been widely used for a great number of applications such as solar cells, water treatment materials, catalysts and so on [1–6]. Ordered anatase phase TiO2 NT arrays were fabricated by anodic oxidation method, the individual TiO2 NTs were prepared as tiny “nano-containers” to load Ce(NO3)3 solutions. After the thermal decomposition of Ce(NO3)3, cubic crystal CeO2 NPs were obtained and successfully loaded into the anodic TiO2 NT arrays.

Results

Conclusion