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Cerium-Doped Nano-Lanthanum Calcium Silicate
Amany M. El Nahrawy

The main task in the synthesis of nano-silicate-based especially used in optoelectronic films and bio-applications research is the reduction of the working temperature and controlling the sol gel processing. Synthesis and optical characterization of pure lanthanum silicate semicrystalline films doped with two different concentrations of cerium ions (45 SiO2:(35-x) CaO:20 La₂O₃: (x=5, 10) Ce). Cerium oxide (CeO) nanoparticles have garnered significant interest due to their remarkable catalytic capabilities. These capabilities stem from the rapid and efficient alteration of the oxidation state between Ce3+ and Ce4+. The cerium atom possesses a remarkable capacity to readily and dramatically adapt its electronic arrangement to suit its surroundings optimally. The matrices were synthesized using the sol-gel route from tetraethylorthosilicate, lanthanum, and cerium nitrates in basic media. Structural characterizations were done by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission/scanning electron microscopy (TEM/SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and optical characterizations were investigated. The XRD results confirmed the change from amorphous to nanocrystals systems. This study paves the way for further improvement in the processing of lanthanum calcium silicate for different applications.

Keywords: Silicate, lanthanum silicate nanoparticles, Sol gel process, rare earths