Solution combustion synthesis for rare earth nano metal oxides using D-glycine as fuel: morphological and optical studies

Abstract

Three different nano rate earth oxides, i.e. CeO2, La2O3, and ThO2 have been prepared through solution combustion synthesis method using Cerous Nitrate Hexahydrate, Lanthanum Hexahydrate, and Thorium Nitrate as an oxidizer, respectively and glycine as a fuel. The synthesized nano powder was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), FTIR, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), UV-Vis Diffuse Reflectance Spectrum (UV-Vis DRS), and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). CeO2, La2O3, and ThO2 possess Cubic, Hexagonal and Cubic phases respectively. Morphological results showed the stable and sponge-like surface of each specimen. The optical band gap of CeO2, La2O3, and ThO2 obtained from Tauc Plots ranges 3.10 eV, 4.84 eV and 5.76 eV which shows interesting behavior and hence six Refractive Indices modeling has been applied to optimize the parameter to utilize these rare earth metal oxides in the solar reflector system using appropriate matrix.