Title: Synthesis, characterisation and photo-catalytic activity of CeO₂/Fe₂O₃ nano-composite

Authors: Ahmed Ali Ahmed Farghali; Shimaa Gamil Sayed

Addresses: Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt; Materials Science and Nanotechnology Department, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies for Advanced Sciences, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt ' Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt

Abstract: Preparation of nano-composite mixed oxides has a great current interest because it can improve the behaviour of the two metal oxides and enhance formation of new stable compounds which have different chemical and physical properties. Nano-composite CeO₂-Fe₂O₃ samples with different molar ratios of the two oxides have been synthesised by co-precipitation method to study the effect of Fe₂O₃ doping on the magnetic properties and catalytic activity of CeO₂. The prepared nano-sized catalysts are characterised by XRD, TEM and SEM. Magnetic properties were measured to evaluate the proposed nano-composite samples. From magnetic measurements it was established that the saturation magnetisation in all doped samples is higher than in pure ceria. A great application of the prepared nano-composites, with a vital role in our daily life, is the purification of the polluted waters from some toxic dyes. Complete photo-catalytic degradation of toxic Bromopyrogallol red dye (BPR) is achieved revealing that all doped samples have higher catalytic activities than those of pure catalysts (CeO₂ and Fe₂O₃).

Keywords: CeO2; cerium oxide; Fe2O3; iron oxide; ferric oxide; nanocomposites; magnetic properties; photodegradation; Bromopyrogallol red dye; nanotechnology; water purification; water pollution; toxic dyes; wastewater treatment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2015.071753

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2015 Vol.8 No.2, pp.171 - 183

Received: 15 Feb 2015
Accepted: 15 May 2015
Published online: 17 Sep 2015 *

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