The Preparation, Characterization and Photocatalytic Activity of FexCe1-xO2-n Microstructures

CeO2 nanoparticles (undoped and Fe-doped) were synthesized by coprecipitation method with different precipitants (ammonium hydrogen carbonate and sodium carbonate). X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the absence of any impurity phases in all samples. BET (Brunauer, Emmett and Teller) tests showed that the average sizes of the catalysts synthesized with NH4HCO3 and Na2CO3 particles were 6.95 nm to 8.83 nm and 11.09 nm to 16.9 nm respectively. Specific surface area of the particles changed regularly. SEM (scanning electron microscope) revealed that the shapes of CeO2 and Fe-doped nanoparticles (prepared by ammonium hydrogen carbonate) were rodlike, the shapes of CeO2 and Fe-doped nanoparticles (prepared by sodium carbonate) were schistose. UV-Vis spectroscopy showed that the absorption value of catalysts changed as Fe doped. The direct and indirect band gap of catalysts diminished with Fe doping, and the catalysts prepared with Na2CO3 had narrower band gap than the catalysts prepared with NH4HCO3. Fe0.05Ce0.95O2-n synthesized with Na2CO3 has the best catalytic capability of Rhodamine B degradation.