Dielectrical Properties of CeO2 Nanoparticles at Different Temperatures

A template-free precipitation method was used as a simple and low cost method for preparation of CeO2 nanoparticles. The structure and morphology of the prepared nanoparticle samples were studied in detail using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) measurements. The whole powder pattern modelling (WPPM) method was applied on XRD data to accurately measure the crystalline domain size and their size distribution. The average crystalline domain diameter was found to be 5.2 nm, with a very narrow size distribution. UV-visible absorbance spectrum was used to calculate the optical energy band gap of the prepared CeO2 nanoparticles. The FT-IR spectrum of prepared CeO2 nanoparticles showed absorption bands at 400 cm(-1) to 450 cm(-1) regime, which correspond to CeO2 stretching vibration. The dielectric constant (er) and dielectric loss (tan delta) values of sintered CeO2 compact consolidated from prepared nanoparticles were measured at different temperatures in the range from 298 K (room temperature) to 623 K, and at different frequencies from 1 kHz to 1 MHz

Mn-Doped CeO2: DFT+U Study of a Catalyst for Oxidation Reactions

In this work, we performed DFT+U periodic calculations to study the geometric and electronic properties of 12.5% Mn-doped CeO2 solid solution. The doping with Mn allowed some Mn2+ cations to substitute Ce4+ ions into the CeO2 lattice and thus drove the formation of a stable O-deficient bulk fluorite-type structure. The Mn-doped CeO2(1 1 1) surface, generated upon the cleavage of the O-deficient bulk, exhibits Mn cations in a (3+) oxidation state. Spin-polarized energy calculations and charge analysis also evidenced the effect of Mn-dopant in facilitating the creation of surface oxygen vacancies; which reflected in extended surface and subsurface ions relaxation and reduction of Mn atoms located on surface and inner cationic layers. Concerning the oxidation state of Ce, it remained unaltered as Ce4+ when an O atom was removed from the topmost anionic layer of the surface system. Reduction of a Ce4+ cation to Ce3+ was evidenced after the creation of a second surface O-vacancy. Our results indicate facilitated surface oxygen release, Mn3+/Mn2+ redox couples formation, and promoted anionic mobility and can help to better understand the effect of Mn in enhancing Mn-doped CeO2 catalytic performance in oxidation reactions.Fil: Garcia Pintos, Delfina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingenierí­a. Departamento de Ingenierí­a Química; Argentina;Fil: Juan, Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - CONICET - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Física del Sur; Argentina;Fil: Irigoyen, Beatriz. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingenierí­a. Departamento de Ingenierí­a Química; Argentina