How To Use Cerium Oxide?

Cerium oxide (CeO₂), as a multifunctional rare earth compound, is widely used in many industrial fields due to its unique physical and chemical properties such as high oxygen storage capacity, excellent polishing performance and thermal stability. The following are the specific uses of cerium oxide in different scenarios:
Application in the field of polishing
The most representative use of cerium oxide is as a polishing agent, especially in the processing of glass and optical products.
Glass polishing process
Prepare polishing liquid: Mix cerium oxide powder with a particle size of 1-5 microns with water to form a suspension with a weight ratio of 5%-20% (the concentration can be adjusted according to the polishing accuracy, and the concentration needs to be reduced for high-precision polishing).
Construction: Dip the polishing liquid with felt or polyurethane polishing pad, apply it evenly on the glass surface, and apply moderate pressure through a polishing machine or manually to make circular motions. The polishing principle is to form an easily peelable softening layer through a chemical reaction with the glass surface to achieve efficient trace removal and brightening.
Post-processing: After polishing, rinse the glass surface thoroughly with clean water to remove residual polishing agent and avoid secondary contamination.
Key points for polishing optical lenses
For precision optical lenses, a low-concentration polishing liquid with a concentration of 3%-10% is required, and special precision polishing equipment is used to strictly control the pressure (usually 0.1-0.3MPa) and rotation speed (300-500r/min) to ensure that the surface accuracy of the lens reaches the optical grade standard (smoothness ≥▽14).
Application in the field of catalysis
Cerium oxide is a key functional material in the catalytic system because of its excellent oxygen storage-release cycle ability.
Application in automotive catalytic converters
Cerium oxide is mixed with precious metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium in proportion to make a catalytic coating that is applied to the surface of ceramic or metal honeycomb carriers. During operation, by adjusting the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas, it promotes:
Oxidation of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC) to carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O)
Reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) to nitrogen (N₂) and oxygen (O₂)
The catalytic component is directly installed in the automobile exhaust system and needs to match the engine displacement to select the corresponding specifications (common carrier volume 1.5-3.0L).
Industrial catalytic application
In industrial processes such as hydrogen preparation and oxidation of organic compounds, cerium oxide-based catalysts can be made into powder, granules or films. Before use, it needs to be activated at 300-500℃ for 2-4 hours in air or hydrogen atmosphere to improve the catalytic activity (active surface area can reach 50-150m²/g).
Application in glass and ceramic manufacturing
Glass decolorization process
Cerium oxide is added to the glass melt (the amount added is 0.01%-0.5% of the weight of the glass raw material), and the coloring impurity ferrous ions (Fe²⁺) are converted into colorless ferric ions (Fe³⁺) through oxidation, which can increase the light transmittance of the glass by 10%-20%, especially suitable for the production of transparent products such as float glass and photovoltaic glass.
Improvement of ceramic glaze
Mix cerium oxide with glaze ingredients such as silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide at a ratio of 3%-8%, and then sinter at 1100-1300℃ after glazing, which can make the ceramic glaze:
Opacity increased by more than 25%
Wear resistance increased by 15%-20%
Acid and alkali corrosion resistance enhanced (acid resistance grade ≥ GB/T 1763-1993 standard grade 3)
Application in energy storage
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs)
Using gadolinium or samarium-doped cerium oxide materials (such as GDC, SDC) as electrolytes or electrodes, a dense film (thickness 50-200μm) is made through a powder sintering process (sintering at 1400-1600℃ for 5-8 hours), and its room temperature ionic conductivity can reach 10⁻²S/cm, which is suitable for medium-temperature SOFCs (operating temperature 600-800℃).
Battery material modification
In the field of lithium-ion batteries, cerium oxide can be applied in the following ways:
As a coating for positive electrode materials (thickness 5-10nm) to inhibit interfacial side reactions
As an electrolyte additive (addition amount 0.5%-2%) to improve ionic conductivity
Currently, studies in the laboratory stage show that the battery cycle life can be extended by more than 30%
Safety operation specifications
Protective measures: Dust masks (N95 level recommended), acid and alkali resistant gloves and goggles must be worn during operation to avoid powder inhalation or skin contact.
Storage requirements: Store in a sealed, dry and ventilated warehouse away from strong acids, strong alkalis and reducing substances (such as metal powders and hydrogen).
Waste disposal: Waste cerium oxide must be classified in accordance with the "List of Hazardous Wastes" and handed over to qualified units for disposal. Random discharge is prohibited.
Cerium oxide has become a key material in modern industry due to its multifunctional properties. Following the above standardized operating procedures can give full play to its performance advantages while ensuring production safety and environmental friendliness.