Characterization of CeO2 fine particles prepared by the homogeneous precipitation method with a mixed solution of ethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol

Cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles were obtained by heating a polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution of cerium nitrate hydrate [Ce(NO3)3 6H(2)O] at 383 K for 3 h. When the PEG, whose molecular weight was 20,000, was used for the preparation, the monodispersed CeO2, whose particle size was about 102 nm, was obtained. When the mixture of PEG20,000 and ethylene glycol (EG) was used to prepare the PEG solution of cerium nitrate hydrate, the average particle size increased from 102 nm to 660 nm with an increase in the EG content of the solution. The pore structure in the obtained CeO2 particles also depended on the weight ratio between EG and PEG20,000.