Nanostructured CeO₂–ZrO₂mixed oxides

Abstract

Nanostructured CeO2–ZrO2 mixed oxides have attracted great interest in the past 10 years, inparticular as redox or oxygen storage promoters in the three-way catalysts. However, it has nowbecame clear that both the chemistry of the simple oxides and the complex metal–CeO2-basedoxide interactions can play a critical role in developing novel and highly active materials for anumber of processes, ranging from catalysts for H2 production from fuels up to ceramic materialsand solid state conductors for fuel cells. Despite the apparent simplicity of these systems, extremevariability of their chemical and textural properties has been observed. An attempt is made here torationalise the various factors and the inter-connections to the structure, the texture, and theeffects of the nanometre scale, which all contribute to the properties of these materials.