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Characterizations and photocatalytic activity of ceria nanoparticles synthesized in KCl–LiCl/KOH–NaOH molten flux from different precursors

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Abstract

Molten salts synthesis (MSS) is a simple and potential technique for ceria nanoparticles (NPs) production, but the relevant effects of salt medium and cerium precursor on the synthesized ceria NPs need further attention. In the present work, we investigated the influences of frequently employed KCl–LiCl and KOH–NaOH molten flux and typical inorganic cerium precursors on the characterizations and photocatalytic property of ceria NPs. Results show that the CeO2 NPs obtained in molten KOH–NaOH flux have smaller particle/crystal sizes but more serious agglomeration than that from KCl–LiCl flux. UV–Vis DRS spectra reveal that the ceria synthesized in molten hydroxides from the cerium nitrate precursor has the narrowest band gap of 2.87 eV in studied ceria samples. The ceria NPs obtained from KCl–LiCl flux have wider band gaps of 3.15–3.29 eV and faster recombination rates of photo-generated e− and h+. It was found that the ceria NPs obtained in molten KCl–LiCl salt show better photocatalytic activities for methylene blue (MB) degradation and may be due to the uniform size distribution and well-dispersed particles.

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Acknowledgments

The financial support from National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 51804088, the Talents & Platform Funding from Science & Technology Department of Guizhou Province, China, under the Grant No. [2017]5788 and [2018]5781, the Basic Research Program from Science & Technology Department of Guizhou Province [2020]1Y219 and [2019]1082, and the Cultivation Funding of No. 2019 and Doctor Funding of No. (2017)04 supported by Guizhou University are gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. Department of Metallurgical Engineering, College of Materials and Metallurgy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China

    Xisong Mao, Xuewen Xia, Deyang Ning, Junqi Li, Chaoyi Chen & Yuan-Pei Lan

  2. Guizhou Province Key Laboratory of Metallurgical Engineering and Process Energy Saving, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China

    Xisong Mao, Xuewen Xia, Deyang Ning, Junqi Li, Chaoyi Chen & Yuan-Pei Lan

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  1. Xisong Mao
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Mao, X., Xia, X., Ning, D. et al. Characterizations and photocatalytic activity of ceria nanoparticles synthesized in KCl–LiCl/KOH–NaOH molten flux from different precursors. J Nanopart Res 23, 69 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-021-05172-x

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