Preparation and Characterization of Graphite Powder Covered with CeO2

In order to improve the wetting properties of graphite with Al melt and reduce the oxidation of the graphite, by which the segregation of components during the liquid-stir-casting process could be prevented. In this paper, a uniform thin nano-film of CeO2, about 20 nm thick, was successfully prepared onto graphite powder surface by heterogeneous nu-cleation process. The results show that an obvious chemical reaction did exit between CeO2 film and graphite with the formation of Ce-O-C bond, leading to a shift of the binding energy of C and Ce. The cover with CeO2 film illustrates a distinct change of surface state of graphite with a decrease of angle of contact.