Enhanced catalytic activity of nanostructured cerium oxide films

We study the catalytic activity and structure, density and morphology of nanostructured ceria (CeO2−x, 0.15<x<0.05, grain size 4–28 nm) films using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and reflectivity (XRR). The voids content of the films was determined by XRR and was found to vary between 7% and 40%. The catalytic efficiency of the films is investigated using temperature programmed reaction (TPR) and monitoring the oxidation products. The TPR results are correlated with the density and grain size of the CeO2−x films and show that smaller grain size may reduce the activation temperature of C combustion as low as ∼200 °C.