Mesoporous CeO2: Synthesis by nanocasting, characterisation and catalytic properties

Mesoporous CeO2 was synthesised by using CMK-3 carbon as a structure matrix. Nitrogen physisorption, powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES), and thermal (TG/MS) analysis were used for their characterisation. Methanol decomposition to hydrogen, CO, and methane was used as a catalytic test reaction. The obtained products exhibit uniform pores with a diameter of ca. 5 nm in a two-dimensional hexagonal periodic arrangement, as well as interparticle porosity, broadly distributed around ca. 35 nm; the specific surface area is 148 m2 g−1. The pore walls are polycrystalline. The polycrystalline nature and high surface-to-volume ratio of the products is reflected in an increased signal intensity in X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The synthesis of CeO2 from Ce(NO3)3 within the pores of the carbon matrix and the subsequent thermal combustion of the carbon is monitored by thermal analysis. Catalytic tests reveal that the activity of the mesoporous products in methanol decomposition are substantially higher than for a non-porous sample.