Synthesis of ZnO-doped CeO2 nanoparticles by azeotropic distillation processing

Zinc oxide-doped CeO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by coprecipitation method combining with precursor treatment of butanol azeotropic distillation. XRD, DSC/TC; IR, TEM, atomic absorption spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used to characterize the nanoparticles stuctures and properties. Scherrer formula was used to caculate the grain size. The effects of azeotropic distillation, ZnO dopping amount, calcined temperature and time on the grain size were investigated. It is found that solid solution can be formed as the doping amount changing from 2 mol%similar to 10 mol%. The azeotropic distillation dramatically. reduced the possibility of formation of the chemical bonds and prevented the formation of hard agglomerates. The amount doping ZnO has effects on the grain size. As the calcined temperature and time increase, the grain size of nanoparticles was incresing. The CeO2 nanoparticles have high transparency in a visible light region and high UV-shielding property. Doping with ZnO did not result in the loss of UV-shielding ability of ceria.