The Ag–CeO2 nanocomposite (1.3 at. % Ag) with a specific surface area (126.5 m2/g), large pore volume (0.11 cm3/g) and relatively large Ag nanoparticles (51 ± 3 nm) was obtained using electron beams with different electron energies (from 40 to 500 keV) and investigated for the catalytic oxidation of the popular dye methyl violet (MV). Silver nitrate was used as a precursor. The deposition of Ag nanoparticles was carried out on CeO2 nanoparticles of 3–5 nm in size, previously obtained by pulsed electron beam evaporation (PEBE) in a vacuum. According to X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, there were no parasitic impurities in the synthesized product. The composite contained two cubic phases: CeO2 and Ag. TEM micrographs depicted the formation of agglomerated non-symmetrical NPs in form of 3D spatial nanostructures in the form of “clouds”. The “clouds” were constructed from CeO2 nanoparticles, smaller than 5 nm in size, which were coated with scatterings of individual and chain spherical Ag nanoparticles, ranging in size from 10 to 200 nm%. EDX spectra confirmed the presence of the main elements in the composite. XPS analysis showed that the composite contained only non-stoichiometric cerium dioxide (CeO1.8) with Ag0 NPs on the surface of the oxide NPs. The deposition of Ag nanoparticles on CeO2 nanoparticles led to an increase in the photocatalytic activity of the latter by 23 %. The stability of CeO2 aqueous suspensions was studied using Darvan-CN and sodium citrate dispersants. © © 2026. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
