Facile synthesis of CeO2 nanotubes templated by modified attapulgite

CeO2 nanotubes were synthesized facilely via a layer-by-layer deposition approach using modified attapulgite as hard template. The formation details were investigated by a combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy disperse spectroscopy (EDS) and fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) characterizations. The obtained CeO2 nanotubes have a uniform diameter ranging from 20-40 nm with a bundle-like structure. Calcination temperature plays a critical role in the integrity of the nanotubes. A possible formation mechanism has been proposed to explain the formation of CeO2 nanotubes. This synthesis strategy by taking advantage of natural clay as sacrificial template implies a simple and inexpensive way to prepare oxide nanotubes on a large scale.