Reverse micelles directed synthesis of mesoporous ceria nanostructures

In this paper, mesoporous ceria nanofibers, nanobelts and rodlike nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by a reverse micelle method. Results from low-temperature N2 adsorption–desorption experiment measurements showed that both the BET surface area and pore volume of the nanobelts (114.9 m2/g and 0.1470 cm3/g) are about two times as much as that of the nanofibers (54.41 m2/g and 0.09051 cm3/g). UV–vis absorption spectra of the ceria nanostructures had a broad absorption band in the UV region and the blue-shifting of the bands was observed due to the quantum size effect and the special structure. The influence of experimental conditions on the morphology and structure of the precursors was investigated, and the possible growth mechanism of cerium carbonate nanostructures was proposed according the interaction between inorganic crystal faces and the organic surfactant molecules.