Solvothermal synthesis of cerium oxides

Publication date: December 2011 Source:Progress in Crystal Growth and Characterization of Materials, Volume 57, Issue 4 Author(s): Richard I. Walton A review of the various hydrothermal and solvothermal methods that have been used for the preparation of cerium oxides is presented. Much work has focussed on the preparation of cerium dioxide (ceria) and its doped analogues because of their extensive applications in catalysis, solid-oxide fuel cells and other technologies. It is shown how the solvothermal method offers a number of distinct advantages in the one-step formation of ceria materials, including control of crystal form and morphology in the nanometre regime from spherical and cubic particles to anisotropic polyhedra and rods. The use of solution additives allows surface capping either preventing aggregation of particles or permitting their assembly into complex hierarchical structures. In terms of doping, the solvothermal synthesis method allows access to phases not possible using high temperatures synthesis, including ceria doped by transition-metal ions. These synthetic advantages all allow fine-tuning of the properties of ceria for practical applications. Finally, some recent work that has focussed on the synthesis of complex mixed-oxide phases containing cerium, both in the +3 and the +4 oxidation state, is presented: this illustrates the potential of solvothermal synthesis in the discovery of new materials.

Source: Progress in Crystal Growth and Characterization of Materials - October 12, 2014 Category: Chemistry Source Type: research