Hydrothermal synthesis of CeO2 nano-octahedrons

CeO2 nano-octahedrons were synthesized with a facile hydrothermal synthesis process where Ce(NO3)3·6H2O and urea were used as a cerium resource and mineralizer respectively and no surfactant or template was applied. The effects of synthesis parameters such as reaction temperature, reaction time, as well as the dosages of Ce (NO3)3·6H2O and urea were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis were conducted to characterize the crystalline and morphology of the obtained CeO2 powders. The optimal reaction condition to prepare the CeO2 of the desired fluorite structure was established. The possible mechanism of synthesis of CeO2 with a nano-octahedron morphology was illustrated.