Hydrothermal Synthesis of CeO2 and Ce0.9Fe0.1O2 Nanocrystals

Pure and 10 mol% Fe doped CeO2 nanocrystals were synthesized by hydrothermal method using two different basic solutions (NH4OH and NaOH). All the samples were calcinated at 140 ◦C and 200 ◦C. The characterization of crystalline structure, vibrational and optical properties was performed using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The obtained results showed that the Fe-doped samples are solid solutions with different size of nanocrystals, very dependent on the synthesis temperature and type of basic solution. The Raman measurements demonstrated electron molecular vibrational coupling and increase of oxygen vacancy concentration whereas doping provokes a small decrease of optical absorption edge in comparison with pure ceria.