Bi x Ce 1 − x PO 4 ( x = 0.00, 0.02, and 0.08) nanorods: structural, electrical, optical, and electrochemical properties

Bi x Ce1 − x PO4 (x = 0.00–0.08) nanorods were synthesized using the solvothermal method at 160 °C. The successful incorporation of Bi3+ dopant ions into the hexagonal structure of CePO4 was verified by XRD, EDX, FTIR, and UV-Vis spectroscopic techniques. The XRD and IR spectroscopy results have demonstrated that low bismuth doping does not alter the CePO4 structure and good nanocrystalline materials are synthesized. The temperature dependence of conductivity, for both the pure and Bi3+-doped samples, obeys the Arrhenius law of conduction. The Bi doping process has been successful in effectively tuning the optical band gap energy and electronic band structure of the cerium phosphate materials. Electrochemical tests showed an improved capacity when increasing the Bi content and a stable cycling performance of the Bi x Ce1 − x PO4 (x = 0.00, 0.02, and 0.08) nanorods, making them interesting for potential further investigations.