The use of cerium oxide coating of
titanium dioxide pigments to
decrease photocatalytic activity was studied. A large decrease in
the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide particles coated with
cerium oxide was obtained even with a tiny coating amount of 0.2 wt
%, and these particles were more stable than those with the conventional
2.0 wt % film coating of silicon dioxide or 1.5 wt % aluminum oxide.
The combination film coatings of cerium oxide and silicon or aluminum
oxide showed smaller decreases in photocatalytic activity. Both Ce(III)
and Ce(IV) oxide coatings gave highly decreased photocatalytic activity,
even when the cerium oxide coating did not completely cover the surface.
It was inferred that the efficient decrease of photocatalytic activity
was because the unpaired electrons in the 4f orbital of cerium enabled
the coating film to capture electrons and holes that were produced
when titanium dioxide was exposed to ultraviolet irradiation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.