Synthesis and Preparation of Magnetic Fe-Doped CeO2 Nanoparticles Prepared by Simple Sol-Gel Method

Abstract

Fe-doped ceria nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple co-precipitation method via iron nitrate (Fe( NO3)3⋅9 H2O) and cerium nitrate (Ce(NO3)3⋅6H2O) as a precursor in the presence of diethylene glycol and ammonia solution. The prepared samples were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), field effect scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibration sampling magnetometer (VSM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) in different temperatures. The XRD results showed a cubic structure of Fe-doped CeO2. The mean particle size of the as-prepared samples was around 30 nm, and that of samples annealed at 500 ∘C for 3 h was 35 nm. This analysis also indicated the change of particles to rod-like shape by increasing temperature. The TEM studies exhibited the square-like shaped nanoparticles. The sharp peaks in the FTIR spectrum determined the element of Fe–Ce nanoparticles. The magnetic measurements of the as-prepared samples showed a coercive field and saturation magnetism at about 1611 G and 0.06 emu/g, respectively.