Fabrication of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles by Solution Combustion Synthesis and Their Cytotoxicity Evaluation

Abstract

The diverse abilities such as the antioxidant effect of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO₂-NPs) have encouraged researchers to pursue CeO₂-NPs as a therapeutic agent to treat a number of diseases, including cancer and diabetes. The synthesis method of CeO₂-NPs affected on its abilities. In this study, nanosize ceria powders were synthesized by combustion of aqueous containing corresponding cerium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, and glycine redox mixtures. Solution combustion synthesis is a fast and cost-efficient process with high purity product. The crystallite structures were characterized by various methods, including X-ray diffraction technique, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and UV–vis spectroscopy technique. The combustion was flaming and yields voluminous oxides with nano size (20–30 nm). In addition, no diffraction patterns that are characteristic of impurities were observed, indicating the purity of the CeO₂-NPs. In vitro cytotoxicity studies on L929 cells, a non-toxic effect in all concentration (up to 1000 μg/mL) was indicated and it can be believed that this nanoparticle will have viable applications in different medical fields.