Simple technique to generate small cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles

The generation of small (CeO2 NPs) was performed by a simple precipitation method in the presence of hexadecyltri-methylammonium bromide (CETAB), cerium nitrate hexahydrate ((Ce(NO3)(3)center dot 6H(2)O)), and ammonium hydroxide solution (NH4OH). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) studies evidenced mainly spherical shape and highly crystalline structures for both samples and average sizes of< 6.0 nm and <8.0 nm for synthesis of 3 h and 6 h, respectively. The presence of CTAB as surfactant material would be controlling the growth and particle size of the material. Electron diffraction (ED) patterns evidenced cubic structures for both sizes in the (111), (200), (220), and (311) reflections which are indexes as crystal cubic fluorite type (space group Fm-3m). Studies of energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) indicated Ce (25.6%) and O (74.4%) in the synthesis of 6 h, and Ce (29.2%) and O (70.8%) at the synthesis of 3 h. Generated nanoparticles because of their small sizes and high surface area will be evaluated in photodegradation studies to destroy organic pollutants in aqueous matrices.