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Abstract:
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The use of catalysts in chemical and refining processes has increased
rapidly since 1945, when oil began to replace coal as the most important
industrial raw material. Catalysis has a major impact on the quality of
human life as well as economic development. The demand for catalysts is
still increasing since catalysis is looked up as a solution to eliminate or
replace polluting processes. Metal oxides represent one of the most
important and widely employed classes of solid catalysts. Much effort has
been spent in the preparation, characterization and application of metal
oxides. Recently, great interest has been devoted to the cerium dioxide
(CeO2) containing materials due to their broad range of applications in
various fields, ranging from catalysis to ceramics, fuel cell technologies,
gas sensors, solid state electrolytes, ceramic biomaterials, etc., in addition
to the classical application of CeO2 as an additive in the so-called three way
catalysts (TWC) for automotive exhaust treatment. Moreover, it can
promote water gas shift and steam reforming reactions, favours catalytic
activity at the interfacial metal-support sites. The solid solutions of ceria
with Group IV transitional-metals deserve particular attention for their
applicability in various technologically important catalytic processes.
Mesoporous CeO2−ZrO2 solid solutions have been reported to be employed
in various reactions which include CO oxidation, soot oxidation, water-gas
shift reaction, and so on. Inspired by the unique and promising
characteristics of ceria based mixed oxides and solid solutions for various
applications, we have selected ceria-zirconia oxides for our studies. The
focus of the work is the synthesis and investigation of the structural and
catalytic properties of modified and pure ceria-zirconia mixed oxide. |