Investigation of UV light enhanced gas adsorption properties of CeO2 Nanoparticles by Scanning Kelvin Probe system

Abstract Cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by the precipitation method using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) as a precipitating agent. HRSEM and HRTEM confirmed the nano rocks like morphology with irregular shape and size. The synthesized CeO2 NPs particle size was ∼13.75 nm. SAED pattern revealed that the synthesized the CeO2 NPs were polycrystalline nature. The presence of oxygen vacancies in the as-prepared material was confirmed by the Raman spectroscopy. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) adsorption properties of CeO2 NPs were investigated using scanning Kelvin probe (SKP) system through contact potential difference (CPD) measurements both in the dark and ultraviolet (UV) light illumination. Interestingly, CeO2 NPs showed selective adsorption towards triethylamine vapours in comparison with other VOCs such as ethanol and n-hexane. These studies revealed that the CeO2 nanoparticles can be utilized for the development of novel gas sensor for triethylamine detection at room temperature.