Electron energy-loss spectroscopic study of the surface of ceria abrasives

• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2004.09.018
• Publication Date: 2004-10-21T15:29:22Z
• Authors: Shelley R. Gilliss; James Bentley; C. Barry Carter
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology; 01 natural sciences; 0104 chemical sciences

Abstract Surfaces of ceria (CeO 2 ) particles have been studied by electron energy-loss spectroscopy in a field-emission gun scanning transmission electron microscope. All the ceria particles analyzed contained Ce 3+ at the surface. Rare-earth impurities such as La were enriched at the surface and were observed for particles ranging from tens to hundreds of nanometers in size. Fluorine in the abrasives corresponded to a lower average cerium valence. Time series investigations indicate that fluorine substitutes on the oxygen sub-lattice and is charge-balanced by some cerium changing from Ce 4+ to Ce 3+ .