Nadali Ramezani - Department of Chemistry, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Morteza Enhessari - Department of Chemistry, Naragh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Naragh, Iran.
Mohammad Yousefi - Department of Chemistry, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

Y۲Ce۲O۷ nano powders were synthesized via sol-gel reactions at ۹۰۰ (S۱), ۱۰۰۰ (S۲) and ۱۱۰۰ (S۳) ˚C for ۴ h using yttrium acetate (C۶H۹O۶Y.xH۲O), ammonium cerium nitrate ((NH۴)۲Ce(NO۳)۶) and stearic acid (C۱۸H۳۶O۲) as raw materials at stoichiometric ۱:۱ Y:Ce molar ratio. The synthesized materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) technique and Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Structural analysis was performed by the FullProf program employing profile matching with constant scale factors. The results showed that the patterns had a main cubic Y۲Ce۲O۷ structure with space group of Fm۳m. The data showed that the lattice parameters were increased with increasing the reaction temperature. FESEM images showed that the synthesized Y۲Ce۲O۷ particles had mono-shaped sphere morphologies. However, with increasing the reaction temperature to ۱۱۰۰ ˚C, the particle size scale was in micrometre range. Ultraviolet–visible spectra analysis showed that the nanostructured Y۲Ce۲O۷ powder (S۲) possessed strong light absorption property in the ultraviolet light region. The direct optical band gap was calculated as ۳.۱۵ eV. Besides, the photoluminescence spectrum for the obtained material (S۲) was investigated at λex=۲۳۰ nm as excitation wavelength. It showed a strong emission peak at ۴۲۵ nm. Catalytic performance of the synthesized nanomaterial (S۲) was also investigated in alcohol oxidation reactions which showed excellent efficiency as ۷۵%.

nanocatalyst, Optical Properties, Oxidation, Y۲Ce۲O۷, Sol-gel