Synthesis of monodispersed nanosized CeO2 by hydrolysis of the cerium complex precursor

A cerium-triethanolamine complex was obtained by the reaction of cerium(III) nitrate and triethanolamine in ethanol solution. Spontaneous oxidation of cerium(III) to cerium(IV) by oxygen occurred during the reaction. The complex was crystalline and soluble in water. Nanosized ceria (CeO2) particles could be prepared via hydrolysis of the complex in aqueous solution, and the extent of agglomeration of particles increased with the increase in temperature for hydrolysis. Under the low temperature of 25 °C, monodispersed nanosized CeO2 particles were obtained, the particles showed uniform size distribution with an mean particle size and standard deviation of 5.9±0.5 nm, which was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). X-ray diffraction (XRD) as well as high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) gave evidence that all of the as-synthesized nanoparticles were well crystalline in the cubic fluorite structure.