A simple synthesis of catalytically active, high surface area ceria aerogels

• Published in: Journal of non-crystalline solids Vol. 354; no. 52; pp. 5509 - 5514
• Main Authors: Gasser-Ramirez, Jennifer L., Dunn, Brian C., Ramirez, Daniel W., Fillerup, Eric P., Turpin, Gregory C., Shi, Yifan, Ernst, Richard D., Pugmire, Ronald J., Eyring, Edward M., Pettigrew, Katherine A., Rolison, Debra R., Harris, Joel M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 15.12.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aerogels; Catalysis; Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Porous materials; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; Aerogels; 82.33.Ln; 81.20.Fw; 68.37.Og; 82.65.+r; Catalysis; 82.30.Cf; Binary compound; Catalytic reaction; Aerogel; Cerium oxide; Porous material; Lanthanide compound; Heterogeneous catalysis; Synthesis; 68.37,Og; Surface area
• ISSN: 0022-3093; 1873-4812
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2008.09.011

A simple synthetic route for preparing high surface area, structurally stable ceria aerogels is presented. Ceria aerogels were doped with 1% palladium: a water-gas shift (WGS) active metal. A reduced Pd/ceria aerogel and an as-prepared Pd/ceria aerogel are compared to determine the effect of pretreatment conditions on WGS activity. The BET surface area of the as-prepared ceria aerogel was 345 m 2/g. CO chemisorption data and high-resolution TEM images indicate that the particle size of palladium on the reduced Pd/ceria sample was approximately 15 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data establish that the fraction of Ce 3+ from Ce 2O 3 was approximately the same for both reduced and as-prepared samples. XPS data also indicate that approximately 44% of the palladium on the reduced Pd/ceria sample was converted to the metallic form. Each catalyst was tested for WGS activity. The reduced Pd/ceria sample exhibited the greatest WGS activity as compared with the other samples used in this study.