Gd doped Cerium Oxide for organic dye degradation and tuning of magnetic properties

Rare-earth doped cerium oxide nanostructures have garnered significant attention among researchers due to their exceptional optical, magnetic and catalytic properties. In this work, Gd-doped CeO2 nanoparticles have been developed by a cost-effective and facile chemical synthesis followed by calcination process. Raman and XRD analysis confirm that single crystalline phase with a cubic fluorite unit cell is formed. XPS reveals the existence of mixed valence states (Ce3+ and Ce4+). These mixed valence states contribute to formation of new networks, such as Ce3+-O-Ce4+, Gd3+-O-Ce4+, and Ce3+-O-Ce3+.The absorption spectra of Gd3+ doped CeO2 nanoparticles shifted red related to pure CeO2 nanoparticles. It has been found that 8 % Gd showed highest magnetic characteristics while 6 % Gd shows highest photocatalytic activity towards degradation of rose bengal dye under UV light that may be attributed to the increase in interplanar distance, fast electron transfer, better electron-hole pair separation, and large surface area.