Controlled synthesis of CeO(2) nanoparticles using novel amphiphilic cerium complex precursors

Maleic anhydride was grafted by long-chain alcohols (1-hexadecanol, 1-octadecanol) to amphiphilic mono-L cis-butene dicarboxylates (L = hexadecyl, octadecyl), i.e., MAH, MAO, respectively. Subsequently, corresponding amphiphilic cerium complexes with these two mono-L cis-butene dicarboxylate ligands (Ce(L')(3), L'= MAH, MAO) were synthesized and behaved as the precursors to prepare CeO(2) nanoparticles for both of which can form nanosized micelle-like aggregates by special self-assembly in the wet chemical process. The nanoparticles were further characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Diffuse reflectance ultraviolet-visible spectra (DRUVS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Both the CeO(2) nanoparticles are in a cubic fluorite structure and present regular and well-dispersion club-like morphology with average particle size in the range of 40-70 nm. Besides, the strong ultraviolet-visible absorption for these CeO(2) nanoparticles can be found at the long-wavelength ultraviolet to visible region of 200-500 nm.