Imaging the atomic surface structures of CeO2 nanoparticles

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Nano Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/nl403713b· OSTI ID:1114274

Lin, Yuyuan ^[1]; Wu, Zili ^[2]; Wen, Jianguo ^[3]; Poeppelmeier, Kenneth R ^[1]; Marks, Laurence D ^[1]

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1. Northwestern University, Evanston
2. ORNL
3. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)

Atomic surface structures of CeO2 nanoparticles are under debate owing to the lack of clear experimental determination of the positions of the surface oxygen atoms. Particularly controversial is the (100) surface structure of this material. In this study, with oxygen atoms clearly observed using aberration corrected high resolution electron microscopy, we determined the atomic structures of the (100), (110) and (111) surfaces of CeO2 nanocubes. The predominantly exposed (100) surface has a mixture of Ce, O, and reduced CeO terminations, underscoring the complex structures of this polar surface that previously was often oversimplified. The (110) surface shows saw-like (111) nanofacets and flat CeO2-x terminations with oxygen vacancies. The (111) surface has an O termination. As these three low index surfaces are the most often exposed facets in the majority of CeO2 nanoparticles, these findings can be extended to the surfaces of differently shaped CeO2 nanoparticles as well as provide insight about face-selective catalysis.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1114274
• Journal Information: Nano Letters, Vol. 14, Issue 1; ISSN 1530--6984
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English