UDAYABHASKAR, R.; MANGALARAJA, R.; FARHANG, S.; PERARASU, V.; KARTHIKEYAN, B.; CONTRERAS, D.; GRACIA, M.:
Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 770:5 (2019) 1221-1228.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2018.08.226
Abstract
By this report, we discussed about the synthesis and optical properties of pure ceria (nanospheres) and ceria:graphene nanocomposites (nanorice like morphology) which were prepared by using commercial microwave oven as a cost effective and environmental friendly approach. The influence of graphene on the crystallinity, morphology, band gap energy and luminescence of the synthesized samples were deliberately discussed. The obtained average crystallite size, by using Scherrer formula, of the CeO2 nanostructures exhibited a decreasing trend with increasing the graphene loading. The higher graphene loaded ceria nanocomposites clearly depicted the morphology of nanorice like in shape with the diameter and length as ∼ 6 and ∼ 50 nm, respectively. The presence of graphene and ceria related vibrational modes in FTIR and Raman spectra along with the structural studies supported the successful formation of the nanocomposites. The observed increase in the band gap (blue shift) of nanoceria was discussed. The luminescence related to various F-centers and its quenching in the ceria nanocomposites was discussed.