Enhanced photocatalytic activity of hierarchical flower-like CeO2/TiO2 heterostructures

Preparation of flower-like CeO2/TiO2 heterostructures as photocatalysts was successfully obtained by a simple two-step solvothermal/hydrothermal method. The as-prepared sample consisted of the oriented aggregation of small CeO2 nanoparticles supported on the self-assembled nanorods of hierarchical flower-like TiO2. Compared with pure CeO2, pure TiO2 and commercial P25, the flower-like CeO2/TiO2 heterostructures exhibited markedly enhanced photocatalytic activity in the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under UV light irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of flower-like CeO2/TiO2 heterostructures could be attributed to the improvement of charge separation derived from the coupling effect of TiO2 and CeO2 heterostructures. [Display omitted] •Flower-like CeO2/TiO2 heterostructures was obtained by a simple two-step solvothermal/hydrothermal method.•Flower-like CeO2/TiO2 heterostructures exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of RhB.•A mechanism for enhanced photocatalytic activity of flower-like CeO2/TiO2 heterostructures is proposed.