Can anyone recommend a Nanoceria Co-precipitation synthesis protocol please?
Hi Abbas,
CeO2 Nanoparticles of have been synthesized in our lab using co-precipitation method. The average particle size of synthesized samples was 28 nm.
For this purpose, molar ratio method is used to control the concentration of reactants. Cerium nitrate (CeNO3) is used as precursor. A strong base, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is used to maintain the required pH value of solution. Particle size distribution is controlled by using acetic acid (CH3COOH) as a surfactant. Distilled water is used as solvent in the solution. The reaction is carried out under constant heating and vigorous stirring. The detailed experimental procedure is mentioned below:
A 0.1M solution was prepared using 2.17 gm Cerrium Niterate (CeNO3).6H2O in 50ml distilled water in a beaker. The solution was put for 30 min into fume hood on hot plate for magnetic stirring at 100 °C and 600 rotations per minute (rpm). 2ml Acetic acid (CH3COOH) was added to solution to control particle size. Then sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was added drop by drop in the solution to increase the pH value of the solution, which resulted in nucleation (the basic phenomena of precipitate formation in chemical co-precipitation). Precipitates starts appearing when pH reaches 8. Furthermore addition of NaOH was stopped as the pH reaches to 10. Then the solution was left for stirring for 1 hour at 100 °C and 700 rpm. Then the solution was kept for sedimentation at room temperature for 1 hour. Precipitates settled down and the extra water was removed. Then the rest of solution was centrifuged for 2 minutes at 3000 rpm. Impurities were separated from the solution as the precipitates settled down which were collected in a beaker and kept in the oven for drying overnight at 80 °C. Next day the dried sample was grinded to powder form and put in oven at 180 °C for 2 hrs for decomposition. Then the sample was annealed in a furnace for 2 hours at 300 °C.
Good luck
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