A facile route to mono-dispersed CeO2 nanocubes and their enhanced photocatalytic properties

•Monodispersed CeO2 nanocubes were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal process.•The CeO2 nanocubes have a narrow size distribution ranged from 6 to 10 nm.•Oleic acid can attach on the CeO2 nuclei to direct the growth of the attached nuclei.•CeO2 nanocubes exhibit enhanced photocatalytic properties.

Mono-dispersed CeO2 nanocubes that have a narrow size distribution ranged from 6 to 10 nm were successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. The morphology and size of CeO2 crystals are dependent on the experimental conditions such as organic additive and reaction time. It is found that the oleic acid plays a crucial role in the formation of the mono-dispersed CeO2 nanocubes. Oleic acid can attach on the CeO2 nuclei to direct the attached nuclei grow in a special orientation, which finally results in the nanocubes with active polar {2 0 0} surface. Photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under UV irradiation indicates that the activity of nanocubes in dye decolorization is substantially higher than those big size sample and nanorods. Elevated surface–volume-ratio and highly active {2 0 0} planes are the main reasons for the enhancement of their activity.