Fabrication of CeO2–MOx (M = Cu, Co, Ni) composite yolk–shell nanospheres with enhanced catalytic properties for CO oxidation

CeO 2 –MO x (M = Cu, Co, Ni) composite yolk–shell nanospheres with uniform size were fabricated by a general wet-chemical approach. It involved a non-equilibrium heat-treatment of Ce coordination polymer colloidal spheres (Ce-CPCSs) with a proper heating rate to produce CeO 2 yolk–shell nanospheres, followed by a solvothermal treatment of as-synthesized CeO 2 with M(CH 3 COO) 2 in ethanol solution. During the solvothermal process, highly dispersed MO x species were decorated on the surface of CeO 2 yolk–shell nanospheres to form CeO 2 –MO x composites. As a CO oxidation catalyst, the CeO 2 –MO x composite yolk–shell nanospheres showed strikingly higher catalytic activity than naked CeO 2 due to the strong synergistic interaction at the interface sites between MO x and CeO 2 . Cycling tests demonstrate the good cycle stability of these yolk–shell nanospheres. The initial concentration of M(CH 3 COO) 2 · x H 2 O in the synthesis process played a significant role in catalytic performance for CO oxidation. Impressively, complete CO conversion as reached at a relatively low temperature of 145 °C over the CeO 2 –CuO x -2 sample. Furthermore, the CeO 2 –CuO x catalyst is more active than the CeO 2 –CoO x and CeO 2 –NiO catalysts, indicating that the catalytic activity is correlates with the metal oxide. Additionally, this versatile synthesis approach can be expected to create other ceria-based composite oxide systems with various structures for a broad range of technical applications.

Abstract licence: CC BY

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