Structural and Spectroscopic Investigation of Ceria Nanofibers Fabricated by Electrospinning Process

Abstract

We fabricated ceria (<TEX>$CeO_2$</TEX>) nanofibers by applying a mixed solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and various concentrations of cerium nitrate hydrate (<TEX>$Ce(NO_3)_3$</TEX>) ranging from 15.0 to 26.0 wt % by the electrospinning process. Ceria nanofibers were obtained after calcining PVP/<TEX>$Ce(NO_3)_3$</TEX> nanofiber composites at 873 and 1173 K. The SEM images indicated that the diameters of <TEX>$CeO_2$</TEX> nanofibers calcined at 873 and 1173 K were smaller than those of nanofibers obtained at RT. As the amount of cerium increased, the diameter of <TEX>$CeO_2$</TEX> nanofibers increased. XRD analysis revealed that the ceria nanofibers were in cubic form. TEM results revealed that the ceria nanofibers were formed by the interconnection of Ce oxide nanoparticles. The ceria nanofibers obtained at low concentrations of Ce (CeL) showed spotty ring patterns indicated that the ceria nanofibers were polycrystalline structure. And the ceria nanofibers obtained at high concentration of Ce (CeH) showed fcc (001) diffraction pattern. XPS study indicated that the oxidation of Ce shifted from <TEX>$Ce^{3+}$</TEX> to <TEX>$Ce^{4+}$</TEX> as the calcination temperature increased.