Synthesis and characterization of ultrathin single-crystalline cerium oxide nanorods

We report a facile solution-based synthetic route to high-quality ultrathin cerium oxide nanorods with diameters of ~1.3 nm. High resolution transmission electron microscopy studies revealed that the nanorods were single-crystalline and grew along the [100] direction. The powder X-ray diffraction pattern of the final products indicated a cubic fluorite structure. The optical properties of the cerium oxide nanorods were explored by UV/Vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) measurements at room temperature. The absorption edge of the ultrathin nanorods was obviously blue-shifted with respect to that of the bulk, suggesting the presence of size confinement resulted from the molecular-scale dimension of the nanorods. The current work is of interest for developing UV blocking and shielding materials, and would open up new opportunities for fundamental studies in the field of ultrathin nanorods and nanowires.