Effect of Ce Doping on the Structure and Chemical Stability of Nano-α-Fe(2)O(3)

Ce-doped nano-α-Fe(2)O(3) was successfully synthesized via the hydrothermal method. The properties of the prepared particles were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemical methods. It was found that the Ce element can be doped into the α-Fe(2)O(3) lattice resulting in lattice distortion, which can refine the grain and improve the crystal surface’s integrity significantly. In addition, doping of Ce element can shorten the Fe–O bond length in the α-Fe(2)O(3) crystal, cause a blue shift of the stretching vibration band, enhance binding energy of Fe–O and the chemical stability of the α-Fe(2)O(3) crystal.