Experimental preparation and optical properties of CeO2/TiO2 heterostructure

Heterostructure is a unique structure formed during the contact of two different semiconductor phases at the interface. This structure provides the material with an excellent photoelectric and photocatalysis performance, and it is used in solar cells and catalyst degradation of organic pollutants. Considering these unique features, heterostructures have attracted wide attention in the field of photoelectric materials and environmental science. In this study, CeO2/TiO2 heterostructure was prepared by hydrothermal method, and the morphology and structure of the samples were characterized and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy The structural model of the CeO2/TiO2 heterostructure was constructed using a molecular design method based on anatase TiO2 (0 0 1) surface. The microstructure, electronic structure, and optical properties of CeO2/TiO2 heterostructure were studied using density functional theory. The band gap of CeO2/TiO2 heterostructure is significantly lower than that of pure TiO2 (3.061 eV), thus reducing the energy exciting photons and improving the optical absorption capacity. Moreover, the CeO2/TiO2 heterostructure can broaden the absorption range from the ultraviolet region to the visible light region. Hence, the photocatalytic performance and photoelectric conversion efficiency of the system can be significantly improved.