The variation of microstructures, spectral characteristics and catalysis effects of Fe3+ and Zn2+ co-doped CeO2 solid solutions

Abstract Fe3+ and Zn2+ ions were doped into the lattice of CeO2 via the hydrothermal method. The microstructure and spectra features were analyzed systemically. XRD results show that the solid solubility of Fe3+ and Zn2+ ions in Ce1–x(Fe0.5Zn0.5) xO2 can be identified as x = 0.16. The cell volumes are decreased by increasing the doped content. The TEM graphs prove that the grain size of the sample is about 10 nm, and the EDS result indicates that the doped contents are in accordance with that of the theory concentrations. Meanwhile, the doping also causes the increasing concentrations of the defects and oxygen vacancies which are supported by the XPS, Raman, UV and PL characterizations. The samples exhibit better catalytic activities for improving the hydrogen storage properties and the electrochemical kinetics of the ball milled Mg2Ni based composites. Further, the catalysis effects are improved by increasing the doped contents, which can be ascribed to the increasing contents of the oxygen vacancies, defects, the special electron transition states and the nature of the doped ions in CeO2-based solid solutions.