Effect of fuel-to-nitrate ratio on the powder characteristics of nanosized CeO2 synthesized by mixed fuel combustion method

Highlights: → Preparation of nanosized ceria powder by mixed fuel combustion synthesis. → Effect of variation of fuel-to-nitrate ratio on the powder characteristics. → Correlation between the results of XRD, Raman spectroscopy, and BET surface analysis. - Abstract: Synthesis of nanocrystalline ceria powders is carried out through the mixed fuel combustion approach by using different combinations of glycine and citric acid. The powders obtained with different fuel-to-nitrate (F/N) ratios are characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET surface area analysis, and Raman spectroscopy. TGA and FTIR spectroscopy studies have revealed the presence of carbonaceous species and residual volatiles in the combustion synthesized ceria powders. It is observed that the variation of fuel-to-nitrate ratio has a profound influence on the carbonaceous residues from combustion, crystallite size (11-44 nm), surface area (9-39 m2/g) and morphology of the resultant powders. The Raman spectroscopy results on the variation of particle size with F/N ratio are consistent with the conclusions made from X-ray line broadening and BET surface area analysis.