Mössbauer studies of nano phase Ce–Fe oxide composites

Abstract

Chemical co-precipitation method was used to synthesize nano-structured α-Fe 2 O 3 -CeO 2 composite by calcination of the goethite-cerium hydroxide precursor. It was observed that the precursor contained goethite matrix doped with cerium. Calcination of the precursor at 400 • C showed the formation of nanosize hematite. Mössbauer spectra show the presence of a paramagnetic component in the precursor but not in the samples calcined at 400 • C to 800 • C temperatures. Our study shows that Ce precipitated as CeO 2 and stuck on the surface of hematite particles. The precipitation of Ce as CeO 2 is independent of the concentration of Ce in the Ce-Fe-O composite.