Synthesis, structure and oxygen-storage capacity of Pr1−xZrxO2−δ and Pr1−x−yPdyZrxO2−δ

Nanocrystalline Pr1−xZrxO2−δ (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) and Pr1−x−yPdyZrxO2−δ (x = 0.50, y = 0.02) solid solutions have been synthesized by a single step solution combustion method. The whole range of solid solution compositions crystallize in cubic fluorite structure. The lattice parameter ‘a’ linearly varied up to x = 1.0. Oxygen-storage capacity (OSC) and redox properties of Pr1−xZrxO2−δ (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.8) solid solutions have been investigated by temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and are compared with those of Ce1−xZrxO2. Pr1−xZrxO2−δ exhibited H2 uptake and CO oxidation at a lower temperature than Ce1−xZrxO2. Small amount of Pd ion (y = 0.02) substitution was found to bring down the temperature of oxygen release–storage significantly.