Catalytic oxidation of toluene over nanorod-structured Mn–Ce mixed oxides

•Nanorod-structured Mn–Ce mixed oxides were synthesized successfully.•Mn–Ce nanorods with high ratio of Mn displayed the highest activity and stability.•The formation of solid solution was crucial for the excellent catalytic activity.•More Mn4+ and oxygen vacancy resulted from the presence of the solid solution.•Lattice oxygen was demonstrated to be involved in catalytic reactions.

Nanorod-structured Mn–Ce mixed oxides with various content of Mn were synthesized successfully. The resulting materials were characterized by SEM, TEM, HRTEM, EDX, XRD, BET, XPS, Raman, O2-TPD and H2-TPR. Mn–Ce mixed oxides nanorods with high content of Mn displayed the best catalytic activity and high stability. The formation of the solid solution between manganese and cerium oxides, giving rise to more Mn4+ and oxygen vacancies, was crucial in maintaining the high activity and stability, involving the participation of the induced mobile lattice oxygen. Thus, the catalytic activity of the single metal oxide with certain morphology could be further enhanced by doping the active component to form the mixed oxides that kept with the unchanged shape, despite of their lower surface area.

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