Abstract

Cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by solution combustion method using cerium nitrate and urea. The prepared sample was characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultraviolet (UV) and Photoluminescence (PL), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM), Thermogravimetric-Differential Thermal Analysis (TG-DTA) and photocatalytic measurements. The XRD results confirmed that the synthesized nanocrystalline CeO2 samples have cubic structure with average grain size about 12, 18 and 26 nm (as prepared at 120 °C, sintered at 300 °C and sintered at 600 °C respectively). The HRTEM results confirmed that the synthesized nanoparticles have good polycrystalline nature. In the PL spectra, a strong and broad emission band was observed at 425 nm due to the presence of blue shift in the visible region. The TEM results revealed that the synthesized CeO2 nanoparticles were sphere shaped particles of size in the range 10–15 nm. The degradation of methylene blue catalysed by CeO2 nanoparticles was studied under visible light irradiation. The maximum degradation was obtained with 1.0 g/L CeO2 at pH 11 within 5 hours.

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