Effect of ce doping on the structure and chemical stability of nano-fα-Fe2O3

Abstract

Ce-doped nano-α-Fe2O3 was successfully synthesized via the hydrothermal method. The properties of the prepared particles were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemical methods. It was found that the Ce element can be doped into the α-Fe2O3 lattice resulting in lattice distortion, which can refine the grain and improve the crystal surface’s integrity significantly. In addition, doping of Ce element can shorten the Fe–O bond length in the α-Fe2O3 crystal, cause a blue shift of the stretching vibration band, enhance binding energy of Fe–O and the chemical stability of the α-Fe2O3 crystal.