Low-temperature synthesis of cerium oxide nanorods and their suppressive effect on photocatalysis of titanium dioxide

Abstract Cerium oxide nanorods and/or nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple precipitation reaction at 80 °C at ordinary pressure using cerium nitrate as a raw material. The morphology of the particles was controlled by changing the pH of the aqueous solution. Moreover, oxygen vacancies were introduced into the cerium oxide particles by adding a larger amount of a concentrated NH 4 OH aqueous solution than needed for precipitation. The suppressive effect of the cerium oxide particles on photocatalysis of titanium dioxide did not depend on the particle morphology, but rather strongly depended on the valence of the cerium ion.