Influence of the physico-chemical properties of CeO2–ZrO2 mixed oxides on the catalytic oxidation of NO to NO2

Commercial and home-made Ce–Zr catalysts prepared by co-precipitation were characterised by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, N2 adsorption at −196 °C and XPS, and were tested for NO oxidation to NO2. Among the different physico-chemical properties characterised, the surface composition seems to be the most relevant one in order to explain the NO oxidation capacity of these Ce–Zr catalysts. As a general trend, Ce–Zr catalysts with a cerium-rich surface, that is, high XPS-measured Ce/Zr atomic surface ratios, are more active than those with a Zr-enriched surface. The decrease in catalytic activity of the Ce–Zr mixed oxided upon calcinations at 800 °C with regard to 500 °C is mainly attributed to the decrease in Ce/Zr surface ratio, that is, to the surface segregation of Zr. The phase composition (cubic or t′′ for Ce-rich compositions) seems not to be a direct effect on the catalytic activity for NO oxidation in the range of compositions tested. However, the formation of a proper solid solution prevents important surface segregation of Zr upon calcinations at high temperature. The effect of the BET surface area in the catalytic activity for NO oxidation of Ce–Zr mixed oxides is minor in comparison with the effect of the Ce/Zr surface ratio.