Surface morphology and phase stability effect of Ceria-Hafnia (CHx) binary metal oxides on soot oxidation activity

Abstract

CeO2-HfO2 (CHx) binary metal oxides over whole composition range (0–100%) are synthesised using the EDTA-Citrate method and calcined at 600 °C/5 h. From XRD analysis, the sample series are classified as fluorite (F) phase for CH10-CH30, hybrid (F + M) phase for CH40-CH90 and monoclinic (M) phase for CH100 sample, respectively and the results were further confirmed using Raman spectroscopy. From SEM analysis, a clear surface morphology change is noticed for fluorite, hybrid and monoclinic phases of the CHx binary metal oxides. Further, Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) analysis also confirmed the single and hybrid phases of CHx binary metal oxides. The soot oxidation for the CHx binary metal oxides displayed high catalytic activity for Fluorite phase (CH10 ∼ CH30) samples and a decrease in catalytic activity is noticed for the Hybrid phase (CH40 ∼ CH90) samples. The change in catalytic activity coincides with the change in the surface morphology and phase change for the CHx binary metal oxides. Among the Fluorite phase samples, CH10 sample displayed the highest catalytic activity (T50 = 430 °C) with higher surface area (29 m2/g), lower particle size (26 nm), lower degree of agglomeration (ϕ = 2.8) higher surface oxygen concentration (44%). Isothermal-Time-on-stream (ITOS) analysis also showed that the CH10 sample can achieve T50 in a shorter time than compared to other CHx binary metal oxides. Surface morphology and phase stability can also play as key descriptors in screening CHx binary metal oxides for soot oxidation activity.