Mesoporous high surface area Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 synthesized by spray drying

Mesoporous gadolinium doped cerium dioxide with high surface area was produced by spray drying using Pluronic 123 as surfactant. The powder, when calcined at 400 °C, had a BET surface area of 136 m2 g−1 and was polycrystalline as confirmed by XRD and TEM. XEDS confirmed Ce, Gd and O, as the only elements present in the powders. Nitrogen adsorption measurements showed that the material was mesoporous with pore diameters of approximately 10 nm, which was later confirmed by TEM studies. TEM–EELS were used to confirm that Ce was in the +4 oxidation state. SEM studies showed particles of 10 nm diameter, corresponding to the crystallite size calculated from XRD data. The similar size range of the mesopores and the observed crystallite size indicates that the porosity is partly formed from intergranular mesoporosity. Using the spray drying method of a surfactant assisted liquid precursor solution it can be possible to manufacture mesoporous gadolinium doped ceria in large quantities in a continuous production.