Effect of CeO2 on the textural and acid properties of ZrO2–SO42−

The effect of the incorporation of CeO2 in ZrO2–SO42− was studied. Materials were synthesized by the sol–gel method with varying CeO2 content (10, 20 and 30%). Sample sulfation took place in situ, maintaining the amount of sulfate at 20 wt.% using concentrated H2SO4 and a 1 M (NH4)2SO4 solution as the sulfating agents. These catalytic materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method), potentiometric titration with n-butylamine (NBTA) and dehydration of 2-propanol. The ZrO2–SO42− showed specific high areas (160 and 122 m2/g), which decreased with increasing CeO2 content. There was no significant effect of CeO2 on the tetragonal structure of ZrO2–SO42−, perhaps because the quantities of CeO2 incorporated were too low to affect the crystalline properties of the material. The acidity of ZrO2–SO42− decreased with increasing weight percentage of CeO2; however, the materials showed sufficient acidity and adequate specific area for the dehydration of 2-propanol at low temperatures (80 °C).