Study of Sm2O3-doped CeO2–Al2O3-supported Pt catalysts for partial CH4 oxidation Original Research Article

The effect of xSm2O3 addition to yCeO2–Al2O3-supported Pt catalysts (where x and y are the Sm2O3 and CeO2 content, respectively, giving x + y = 12 wt.%) on the surface, structure and catalytic properties of the catalysts was studied. The samples were characterized using various techniques, such as N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, XRD, XPS, FTIR and TPR. The catalytic properties of the catalysts were evaluated in the reaction of partial oxidation of methane. The relationship between the catalytic performance and physichochemical properties of Pt/xSm2O3–yCeO2–Al2O3 catalysts was evaluated. The improvement of the catalytic activity and stability observed for Sm2O3-doped CeO2–Al2O3-supported Pt catalysts was attributed to the increase of the platinum metallic dispersion, reducibility and oxygen storage capacity. An optimum interaction between the platinum oxide species and the total surface oxygen vacancies was observed at Sm2O3 content of 3 wt.% revealed by TPR.