Incorporation of cerium into mesoporous zirconium oxide via post-grafting method

Cerium incorporated ordered porous zirconia materials have been prepared by the surfactant-assisted route and post-grafting method. The X-ray powder diffraction, HRTEM, nitrogen adsorption, and UV-Vis spectroscopy were adopted for the characterization of the synthesized materials. It was shown that small amount of cerium (< 4 wt%) had been successfully incorporated into the framework of mesoporous ZrO₂ and the surplus cerium was separated as nano-crystalline solid solution of CeO₂-ZrO₂ onto the pore outer surfaces. This sample of introduction cerium into mesoporous zirconia shows much more increased redox activity than that of the reference sample of Ce_0.35Zr_0.65O₂ prepared by the co-precipitation process. This new material may be a potential catalyst.