CeO2-TiO2/attapulgite (ATP)nanocomposites were prepared by the sol-gel method using ATP as support

cerium nitrate hexahydrate and tetrabutyl titanate as raw materials

glacial acetic acid as complexing agent.The microstructures of the as-prepared composites were characterized by thermogravimetric-differential scanning caloricity (TG-DSC)analysis

transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

X-ray diffraction (XRD)

and nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements.The effects of Ce/Ti molar ratio on catalytic properties of the as-prepared composites for decomposing Rhodamine B solutions were investigated.The results indicated that when Ce/Ti was more than or equal to 5/5

CeO2-TiO2 solid solution oxide particles with cubic fluorite structure were uniformly coated on the surface of ATP with particle size of 5—10 nm.With the increase of Ti4+ content

CeO2 nanoparticles tended to form a defective crystalline phase and existed as amorphous phase.When Ce/Ti was less than 3/7

a separated anatase TiO2 was observed in the composites.A suitable amount of Ti4+ doping could promote the formation of structure defects

which contributed to increasing the content of oxygen vacancies and improving the catalytic activity.The catalytic efficiency of CeO2-TiO2/ATP (Ce/Ti=5/5)nanocomposite on Rhodamine B solution was higher than that of others

and the removal rate of chemical oxygen demand (COD)could reach over 96%.