Patent ID: 7429367

Claim:
A method of preparing cerium oxide particles, comprising: dehydrating a cerium precursor compound including at least one compound selected from a group consisting of Ce 2 (CO 3 ) 3 , Ce(OH) 4 , CeC 2 , Ce(O 2 C 2 H 3 ) 3 , CeBr 3 , CeCl 3 , CeF 3 , CeF 4 , Ce 2 (C 2 O 4 ) 3 , Ce(SO 4 ) 2 , and Ce 2 (SO 4 ) 3 in both hydrated and anhydrous forms: heating the cerium precursor compound to a heat treatment temperature of between about 710° C. and about 760° C. under an oxidizing ambient; maintaining the cerium precursor compound at the heat treatment temperature for a treatment period sufficient to obtain a treated cerium compound in which substantially all of the cerium precursor compound has been converted to particles of cerium oxide (CeO 2 ); separating the particles of cerium oxide according to particle size; and forming an aqueous dispersion of cerium oxide particles within a predetermined particle size range.