# Structural and Morphological Characterization of Gd-Doped Ceria (Ce1−xGdxO2−x/2) Synthesized by an Optimized Hydrothermal Method

## TL;DR

This paper presents an optimized hydrothermal method to synthesize Gd-doped ceria with reduced energy and time requirements.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is a modified hydrothermal synthesis method that reduces time and energy use while maintaining material quality.

## Key findings

- The optimized method successfully produced Gd-doped ceria with controlled composition and structure.
- Ce3+ ions were confirmed in both doped and undoped samples using Raman and XPS analysis.
- Morphological and structural properties were characterized using TEM, XRD, FTIR, EDS, and EDXRF.

## Abstract

The aim of the presented work is to develop a more energy- and time-saving modification of a well-known hydrothermal synthesis method by reducing the time of the synthesis regime and drying step, as well as the possible removal of the calcination procedure. The structure and morphology of Gd-doped ceria (Ce1−xGdxO2−x/2, where x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.5), synthesized via the optimized hydrothermal method, were thoroughly investigated. Phase composition was analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), while the structural units of the materials were identified by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Chemical composition was studied using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and further confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was employed to analyze the size and shape of the nanoparticles. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the presence of Ce3+ ions in both doped and undoped CeO2 samples.