My official Thesis Synthesis and Catalytic Activity of Nanostructured Cerium Oxide

http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/chemistrydiss/16/

Cerium oxide is well known to exfoliate from the surface of cerium metal in the same way that rust exfoliates from iron or steel. A two-step process to fabricate nanoporous ceria membranes via anodization and subsequent calcinations is reported. These membranes have the potential to be used in solid oxide fuel cells and solid-state oxygen sensors. Cerium metal foil was first anodized into adherent porous cerium hydroxide film, followed by calcination for conversion into ceria membranes. These membranes are composed of ribbon-like structures that form the backbone of the porous framework. A proposed anodization model for the growth of the nanoribbons is discussed.