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Ceria–Zirconia Particles Wrapped in a 2D Carbon Envelope: Improved Low‐Temperature Oxygen Transfer and Oxidation Activity
Author(s) -
Aneggi Eleonora,
RicoPerez Veronica,
de Leitenburg Carla,
Maschio Stefano,
Soler Lluís,
Llorca Jordi,
Trovarelli Alessandro
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201507839
Subject(s) - soot , carbon fibers , oxide , materials science , chemical engineering , oxygen , cubic zirconia , nanometre , catalysis , reactivity (psychology) , redox , combustion , nanoscopic scale , carbon nanotube , nanotechnology , chemistry , ceramic , composite number , composite material , organic chemistry , metallurgy , engineering , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
Engineering the interface between different components of heterogeneous catalysts at nanometer level can radically alter their performances. This is particularly true for ceria‐based catalysts where the interactions are critical for obtaining materials with enhanced properties. Here we show that mechanical contact achieved by high‐energy milling of CeO 2 –ZrO 2 powders and carbon soot results in the formation of a core of oxide particles wrapped in a thin carbon envelope. This 2D nanoscale carbon arrangement greatly increases the number and quality of contact points between the oxide and carbon. Consequently, the temperatures of activation and transfer of the oxygen in ceria are shifted to exceptionally low temperatures and the soot combustion rate is boosted. The study confirms the importance of the redox behavior of ceria‐zirconia particles in the mechanism of soot oxidation and shows that the organization of contact points at the nanoscale can significantly modify the reactivity resulting in unexpected properties and functionalities.