Mn-doped CeO 2 flower-like microstructures have been synthesized by a facile one-step compositehydroxide-mediated method. The structure, morphology, optical and the surface properties of Mn doped CeO 2 have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XRD results confirmed the successful incorporation of Mn into the CeO 2 lattice through the formation of

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... red cubic solid solution. The photocatalytic activities of the catalysts were evaluated by measuring the photodegradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB) under ultraviolet light irradiation. With an optimal molar ratio of 1% in Mn/CeO 2 the highest rate photodegradation was achieved under the experimental conditions. The enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the incorporation of multivalent Mn in CeO 2 promoted the separation of photogenerated charges, inhibited the recombination of photogenerated carriers, and thus prolonged the charges lifetime to participate in the photocatalytic reaction.