Superfine cerium-zinc oxides Ce 1−x Zn x O 2−x with x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 were obtained by grinding Ce(SO 4 ) 2 ·4H 2 O, ZnSO 4 ·7H 2 O and NH 4 HCO 3 under the condition of surfactant PEG-400 being present at room temperature, washing the mixture with water to remove soluble inorganic salts, drying at 80°C, and calcining. The precursor and its calcined samples were characterized using thermogravimetry and differential thermal analyses (TG/DTA), UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that superfine Ce 1−x Zn x O 2−x behaved as an excellent UV-shielding material. The ZnO-doped CeO 2 can facilitate the formation of crystalline state CeO 2 . The catalytic ability of products used in air oxidation of castor oil was investigated. The results showed that the catalytic abilities of products decreased with increasing zinc amount.