Enhancement in CO oxidation activity of nanosized CexZr1−xO2 solid solutions by incorporation of additional dopants

The influence of Hf, Pr and Tb dopant cations on structural and catalytic properties of nanosized CexZr1−xO2 solid solutions has been investigated. A wide range of analytical techniques are utilized to characterize the synthesized materials, and the catalytic activity is evaluated for CO oxidation. XRD, Raman, SEM and TEM results suggested formation of dopant cation incorporated ceria–zirconia solid solutions with highly homogeneous morphology and lattice defects. The CO-TPR measurements revealed an enhanced reducibility of CexZr1−xO2 which is reflected in their better catalytic activity. The role of Tb4+/Tb3+ and Pr4+/Pr3+ redox couples in facilitating a higher activity has been addressed.