title: Mesoporous cerium oxide nanospheres for the visible-light driven photocatalytic degradation of dyes.
abstract: A facile, solvothermal synthesis of mesoporous cerium oxide nanospheres is reported for the purpose of the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes and future applications in sustainable energy research. The earth-abundant, relatively affordable, mixed valence cerium oxide sample, which consists of predominantly Ce7O12, has been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron and UV-vis spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Together with N2 sorption experiments, the data confirms that the new cerium oxide material is mesoporous and absorbs visible light. The photocatalytic degradation of rhodamin B is investigated with a series of radical scavengers, suggesting that the mechanism of photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation involves predominantly hydroxyl radicals as the active species.
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371.
authors.forename: Subas K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Muduli
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 10 Kent Ridge, Singapore 119260.
authors.forename: Songling
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371.
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371.
authors.forename: Chin Fan
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371.|Institute of High Performance Computing, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, 1 Fusionopolis Way, #16-16 Connexis, Singapore 138632.
authors.forename: Cheng Hon Alfred
authors.initials: CHA
authors.lastname: Huan
authors.affiliation: Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371.|Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N), 1 CleanTech Loop, Singapore 637141.|Singapore-Berkeley Research Initiative for Sustainable Energy (SinBeRISE), 1 Create Way, Singapore 138602.
authors.forename: Tze Chien
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Sum
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371.|Singapore-Berkeley Research Initiative for Sustainable Energy (SinBeRISE), 1 Create Way, Singapore 138602.
authors.forename: Han Sen
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Soo
keywords: cerium oxide; dye degradation; mesoporous; photocatalysis; visible light