Defective outermost layers of ceria catalysts determined by electrochemical methods as direct responsible for catalytic activity in total oxidation of a representative VOC

• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2024.159354
• Publication Date: 2024-01-12T04:03:36Z
• Authors: Adrián García; Luis Toca; Ramón M. Fernánde...; Francisco Ivars-B...; Elena Montejano-N...; Pedro Amorós; Rita Sánchez-Tovar; Benjamin Solsona
• Keywords: Propane

A large set of unsupported ceria catalysts has been synthesized, physicochemical and electrochemically characterized, tested in a representative catalytic reaction (total oxidation volatile organic compound-VOC, propane). Interestingly, spite the diverse synthesis procedures employed, clear relationship between electrochemical properties active surface layer (related with amount oxygen vacancies) activity total VOCs observed. Then, resistance to charge transfer outer (depth ca. 1.5 nm), which is inversely related vacancies that range, clearly determines oxidation. If near considered (outer than 10 nm, observed by XPS) poor can be appreciated. However, if whole bulk cerias (overall resistance) considered, this electrochemical-thermocatalytic not