Catalytic activity of nanometric pure and rare earth-doped SnO2 samples

This paper describes aspects of the catalytic properties of nanometric pure and rare earth (RE = La or Ce)-doped SnO2 powders, synthesized by a chemical route known as the modified polymeric precursor route (MPPR). Methanol oxidation was chosen as the probe reaction. It was verified that using up to 1 mol% of dopant no detectable influence was found, however changes in the reaction profile were observed with higher concentrations (5 mol%). The nature of dopant was also found to play an important role in the route of the reaction. Ce-doped samples exhibited high methanol conversion even at low temperatures. On the other hand, La-doped samples seem to have a delayed reaction, exhibiting significant conversion only at temperatures higher than 350 °C.