Preparation and characterization of Ce1-xFexO2 complex oxides and its catalytic activity for methane selective oxidation

A series of Ce1-xFexO2 (x=0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1) complex oxide catalysts were prepared using the coprecipitation method. The catalysts were characterized by means of XRD and H2-TPR. The reactions between methane and lattice oxygen from the complex oxides were investigated. The characteristic results revealed that the combination of Ce and Fe oxide in the catalysts could lower the temperature necessary to reduce the cerium oxide. The catalytic activity for selective CH4 oxidation was strongly influenced by dropped Fe species. Adding the appropriate amount of Fe2O3 to CeO2 could promote the action between CH4 and CeO2. Dispersed Fe2O3 first returned to the original state and would then virtually form the Fe species on the catalyst, which could be considered as the active site for selective CH4 oxidation. The appearance of carbon formation was significant and the oxidation of carbon appeared to be the rate-determining step; the amounts of surface reducible oxygen species in CeO2 were also relevant to the activity. Among all the catalysts, Ce0.6Fe0.4O2 exhibited the best activity, which converted 94.52% of CH4 at 900 °C.