Defect-engineered Silver–ceria nanostructures: Linking interfacial chemistry to catalytic and antimicrobial performance
5 affiliations
- 1Nano Centre, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, 35900, Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia; Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Baise University, Baise, Guangxi, 533000, People's Republic of China; Corresponding author. Nano Centre, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, 35900, Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia.
- 2Nano Centre, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, 35900, Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia; Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, 35900, Tanjung Malim, Perak, Malaysia
- 3Department of Physics & Astronomy, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- 4Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Putra Malaysia (UPM), UPM Serdang, 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
- 5Shandong Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, No.566 University Rd. West, Dezhou, Shandong, People's Republic of China
Abstract
Silver–ceria (Ag–CeO 2 ) nanostructures are an important class of metal–oxide materials whose catalytic and antimicrobial properties are strongly governed by Ag–ceria interfacial chemistry. Oxygen-deficient ceria, Ce 3+ /Ce 4+ states, Ag nuclearity and speciation, ceria morphology, and local coordination collectively influence charge redistribution, oxygen activation, ROS-related chemistry, and Ag dissolution/Ag + availability; however, their relative contributions depend strongly on material structure and operating environment, and no universal Ag–CeO 2 active site has been established. This review critically evaluates Ag–CeO 2 through an evidence-calibrated defect–interface–function framework that distinguishes direct Ag–CeO 2 observations from mechanistic principles transferred from other metal–ceria systems. Particular attention is given to synthesis-dependent interface engineering, the capabilities and limitations of defect-sensitive characterization, theoretical representations of heterogeneous interfaces, and quantitative structure–performance relationships. Available evidence indicates that oxygen-defect abundance alone is insufficient to predict functionality; defect location and accessibility, Ag nuclearity and coordination, surface termination, and working environment must also be considered. Proposed Agδ + –V o –Ce 3+ configurations are therefore treated as condition-dependent interfacial motifs rather than universally established active sites. Catalytic and antimicrobial functions share materials-level descriptors but diverge in their dominant physicochemical pathways and should not be reduced to a common mechanism. Accordingly, spatial organization and working-state accessibility of Ag–ceria interfaces, rather than defect maximization, emerge as more defensible design principles. Quantitative working-state characterization, standardized datasets, durability and Ag-leaching assessment, experimentally constrained modeling, and prospective experimental validation are identified as priorities for progress toward predictive Ag–CeO 2 interface engineering.
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BibTeX
@article{alhada2026defectengineered,
title = {{Defect-engineered Silver–ceria nanostructures: Linking interfacial chemistry to catalytic and antimicrobial performance}},
author = {Naif Mohammed Al-Hada and M.N. Azlan and Suriani Abu Bakar and Bandar Ali Al-Asbahi and Elias Saion and Jianlei Yang and Qiang Li},
journal = {Results in Surfaces and Interfaces},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.rsurfi.2026.101034},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsurfi.2026.101034},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Defect-engineered Silver–ceria nanostructures: Linking interfacial chemistry to catalytic and antimicrobial performance
AU - Naif Mohammed Al-Hada
AU - M.N. Azlan
AU - Suriani Abu Bakar
AU - Bandar Ali Al-Asbahi
AU - Elias Saion
AU - Jianlei Yang
AU - Qiang Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/31
JO - Results in Surfaces and Interfaces
DO - 10.1016/j.rsurfi.2026.101034
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsurfi.2026.101034
AB - Silver–ceria (Ag–CeO 2 ) nanostructures are an important class of metal–oxide materials whose catalytic and antimicrobial properties are strongly governed by Ag–ceria interfacial chemistry. Oxygen-deficient ceria, Ce 3+ /Ce 4+ states, Ag nuclearity and speciation, ceria morphology, and local coordination collectively influence charge redistribution, oxygen activation, ROS-related chemistry, and Ag dissolution/Ag + availability; however, their relative contributions depend strongly on material structure and operating environment, and no universal Ag–CeO 2 active site has been established. This review critically evaluates Ag–CeO 2 through an evidence-calibrated defect–interface–function framework that distinguishes direct Ag–CeO 2 observations from mechanistic principles transferred from other metal–ceria systems. Particular attention is given to synthesis-dependent interface engineering, the capabilities and limitations of defect-sensitive characterization, theoretical representations of heterogeneous interfaces, and quantitative structure–performance relationships. Available evidence indicates that oxygen-defect abundance alone is insufficient to predict functionality; defect location and accessibility, Ag nuclearity and coordination, surface termination, and working environment must also be considered. Proposed Agδ + –V o –Ce 3+ configurations are therefore treated as condition-dependent interfacial motifs rather than universally established active sites. Catalytic and antimicrobial functions share materials-level descriptors but diverge in their dominant physicochemical pathways and should not be reduced to a common mechanism. Accordingly, spatial organization and working-state accessibility of Ag–ceria interfaces, rather than defect maximization, emerge as more defensible design principles. Quantitative working-state characterization, standardized datasets, durability and Ag-leaching assessment, experimentally constrained modeling, and prospective experimental validation are identified as priorities for progress toward predictive Ag–CeO 2 interface engineering.
SN - 2666-8459
ER -