Nanostructured CeO2 microspheres synthesized by a novel surfactant-free emulsion

Nanostructured CeO₂ microspheres with an average diameter of 11 μm were prepared by a novel surfactant-free emulsion for the first time. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) measurements were used to characterize the products. The images of SEM showed that the CeO₂ microspheres consisted of petal-like nanostructures with petal thickness in a range of 60 nm to 100 nm. The BET measurements showed the specific surface area of the CeO₂ microspheres exceeded 43 m²/g. The XRD analysis indicated the nanostructured CeO₂ microspheres were of cubic lattice. A possible mechanism of an interfacial precipitation reaction with the droplets of solid-stabilized emulsion as templates was proposed.