Metal-doped ceria nanoparticles: stability and redox processes

Two decades of ceria nanoparticle research: structure, properties and emerging applications

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeNPs) are versatile materials with unique and unusual properties that vary depending on their surface chemistry, size, shape, coating, oxidation states, crystallinity, dopant, and structural and surface defects. This review encompasses advances made over the past twenty years in the development of CeNPs and ceria-based nanostructures, the structural determinants affecting their activity, and translation of these distinct features into applications. The two oxidation states of nanosized CeNPs (Ce3+/Ce4+) coexisting at the nanoscale level facilitate the formation of oxygen vacancies and defect states, which confer extremely high reactivity and oxygen buffering capacity and the ability to act as catalysts for oxidation and reduction reactions. However, the method of synthesis, surface functionalization, surface coating and defects are important factors in determining their properties. This review highlights key properties of CeNPs, their synthesis, interactions, and reaction pathways and provides examples of emerging applications. Due to their unique properties, CeNPs have become quintessential candidates for catalysis, chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), sensing, biomedical applications, and environmental remediation, with tremendous potential to create novel products and translational innovations in a wide range of industries. This review highlights the timely relevance and the transformative potential of these materials in addressing societal challenges and driving technological advancements across these fields.

Phase composition, morphology, properties and improved catalytic activity of hydrothermally-derived manganese-doped ceria nanoparticles

Manganese-doped ceria nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and the prepared samples were thermally treated at 500 °C for 2 h. The samples were investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), N₂adsorption and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XRD revealed that nanocrystalline ceria is the main phase in all samples, while a romanechite-like phase (Na₂Mn₅O₁₀) appears in the sample doped with 30% of Mn. TEM coupled with EDS exposed the presence of the same phase in the sample doped with 20% Mn. While ceria particles have spherical morphology and particle size ranging from 4.3 to 9.2 nm, the rare crystals of the romanechite-like phase adopt a tubular morphology with a length of at least 1μm. However, the decrease in the ceria lattice constant and the EDS spectra of the ceria nanoparticles clearly indicate that a substantial amount of manganese entered the ceria crystal lattice. Manganese doping has a beneficial impact on the specific surface area of ceria. XPS measurements reveal a decrease in the Ce³⁺/Ce³⁺ + Ce⁴⁺content in the doped samples which is replaced by Mn³⁺. Moreover, a drastic increase in adsorbed oxygen is observed in the doped samples which is the consequence of the increase in Mn³⁺species that promotes oxygen migrations to the surface of the sample. Compared to the pure sample, the doped samples showed significantly higher catalytic activity for the process of toluene oxidation.

Adsorption and Oxidation of CO on Ceria Nanoparticles Exposing Single-Atom Pd and Ag: A DFT Modelling

Various COx species formed upon the adsorption and oxidation of CO on palladium and silver single atoms supported on a model ceria nanoparticle (NP) have been studied using density functional calculations. For both metals M, the ceria-supported MCOx moieties are found to be stabilised in the order MCO < MCO2 < MCO3, similar to the trend for COx species adsorbed on M-free ceria NP. Nevertheless, the characteristics of the palladium and silver intermediates are different. Very weak CO adsorption and the small exothermicity of the CO to CO2 transformation are found for O4Pd site of the Pd/Ce21O42 model featuring a square-planar coordination of the Pd2+ cation. The removal of one O atom and formation of the O3Pd site resulted in a notable strengthening of CO adsorption and increased the exothermicity of the CO to CO2 reaction. For the analogous ceria models with atomic Ag instead of atomic Pd, these two energies became twice as small in magnitude and basically independent of the presence of an O vacancy near the Ag atom. CO2-species are strongly bound in palladium carboxylate complexes, whereas the CO2 molecule easily desorbs from oxide-supported AgCO2 moieties. Opposite to metal-free ceria particle, the formation of neither PdCO3 nor AgCO3 carbonate intermediates before CO2 desorption is predicted. Overall, CO oxidation is concluded to be more favourable at Ag centres atomically dispersed on ceria nanostructures than at the corresponding Pd centres. Calculated vibrational fingerprints of surface COx moieties allow us to distinguish between CO adsorption on bare ceria NP (blue frequency shifts) and ceria-supported metal atoms (red frequency shifts). However, discrimination between the CO2 and CO32- species anchored to M-containing and bare ceria particles based solely on vibrational spectroscopy seems problematic. This computational modelling study provides guidance for the knowledge-driven design of more efficient ceria-based single-atom catalysts for the environmentally important CO oxidation reaction.

Aliovalent Doping of CeO2 Improves the Stability of Atomically Dispersed Pt

Atomically dispersed supported catalysts hold considerable promise as catalytic materials. The ability to employ and stabilize them against aggregation in complex process environments remains a key challenge to the elusive goal of 100% atom utilization in catalysis. Herein, using a Gd-doped ceria support for atomically dispersed surface Pt atoms, we establish how the combined effects of aliovalent doping and oxygen vacancy generation provide dynamic mechanisms that serve to enhance the stability of supported single-atom configurations. Using correlated, in situ X-ray absorption, photoelectron, and vibrational spectroscopy methods for the analysis of samples on the two types of support (with and without Gd doping), we establish that the Pt atoms are located proximal to Gd dopants, forming a speciation that serves to enhance the thermal stability of Pt atoms against aggregation.

Theoretical Studies on the Stability and Reactivity of the Metal-Doped CeO2(100) Surface: Toward H2 Dissociation and Oxygen Vacancy Formation

Surface doping is a common method to improve the performance of nanostructured materials. Different dopants will affect the structure and catalytic reactivity of the support. For a comprehensive understanding of the doping effects of metals doped into CeO₂, we conducted density functional theory (DFT) studies on the stabilities and geometry structures of transition-metal atoms (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu; Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag; Os, Ir, Pt, Au) doped into CeO₂(111), (110), and (100) surfaces. Moreover, the reactivity for H₂ dissociation and oxygen vacancy formation are systematically investigated on M-doped CeO₂(100) surfaces. The greater the binding energies of doped M atoms on the CeO₂ surface, the more difficult the formation of oxygen vacancies. The doped Co and Ir atoms do not directly participate in H₂ activation but serve as a promoter to make the H-H bond to break easily. The Cu, Ru, Pd, Ag, Pt, and Au atoms could act as the catalytically active center for H₂ dissociation and greatly reduce the activation energy barrier. Besides, it is easier to generate H₂O (W^M) and a surface oxygen vacancy from the intermediate H2^M/H4^M than from H3^M/H5^M, which is related to the acid-base interaction between H_Ce/M* and H_O* in H2^M/H4^M. This work could provide theoretical insights into the atomic structure characteristics of the transition-metal-doped CeO₂(100) surface and give ideas for the design of hydrogenation catalysts.

A hybrid-DFT investigation of the Ce oxidation state upon adsorption of F, Na, Ni, Pd and Pt on the (CeO2)6 cluster

The formation of small polarons in CeO_2−x compounds has been investigated mainly on solids, compact surfaces, and large nanoparticles.

Pt/CeO2 and Pt/CeSnOx Catalysts for Low-Temperature CO Oxidation Prepared by Plasma-Arc Technique

We applied a method of plasma arc synthesis to study effects of modification of the fluorite phase of ceria by tin ions. By sputtering active components (Pt, Ce, Sn) together with carbon from a graphite electrode in a helium ambient we prepared samples of complex highly defective composite PtCeC and PtCeSnC oxide particles stabilized in a matrix of carbon. Subsequent high-temperature annealing of the samples in oxygen removes the carbon matrix and causes the formation of active catalysts Pt/CeO_x and Pt/CeSnO_x for CO oxidation. In the presence of Sn, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) show formation of a mixed phase CeSnO_x and stabilization of more dispersed species with a fluorite-type structure. These factors are essential for the observed high activity and thermic stability of the catalyst modified by Sn. X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) reveals the presence of both Pt²⁺ and Pt⁴⁺ ions in the catalyst Pt/CeO_x, whereas only the state Pt²⁺ of platinum could be detected in the Sn-modified catalyst Pt/CeSnO_x. Insertion of Sn ions into the Pt/CeO_x lattice destabilizes/reduces Pt⁴⁺ cations in the Pt/CeSnO_x catalyst and induces formation of strikingly high concentration (up to 50% at.) of lattice Ce³⁺ ions. Our DFT calculations corroborate destabilization of Pt⁴⁺ ions by incorporation of cationic Sn in Pt/CeO_x. The presented results show that modification of the fluorite lattice of ceria by tin induces substantial amount of mobile reactive oxygen partly due to affecting geometric parameters of ceria by tin ions.

2D Oxide Nanomaterials to Address the Energy Transition and Catalysis

2D oxide nanomaterials constitute a broad range of materials, with a wide array of current and potential applications, particularly in the fields of energy storage and catalysis for sustainable energy production. Despite the many similarities in structure, composition, and synthetic methods and uses, the current literature on layered oxides is diverse and disconnected. A number of reviews can be found in the literature, but they are mostly focused on one of the particular subclasses of 2D oxides. This review attempts to bridge the knowledge gap between individual layered oxide types by summarizing recent developments in all important 2D oxide systems including supported ultrathin oxide films, layered clays and double hydroxides, layered perovskites, and novel 2D-zeolite-based materials. Particular attention is paid to the underlying similarities and differences between the various materials, and the subsequent challenges faced by each research community. The potential of layered oxides toward future applications is critically evaluated, especially in the areas of electrocatalysis and photocatalysis, biomass conversion, and fine chemical synthesis. Attention is also paid to corresponding novel 3D materials that can be obtained via sophisticated engineering of 2D oxides.

Stable Pd-Doped Ceria Structures for CH4 Activation and CO Oxidation

Doping CeO2 with Pd atoms has been associated with catalytic CO oxidation, but current surface models do not allow CO adsorption. Here, we report a new structure of Pd-doped CeO2(111), in which Pd adopts a square planar configuration instead of the previously assumed octahedral configuration. Oxygen removal from this doped structure is favorable. The resulting defective Pd-doped CeO2 surface is active for CO oxidation and is also able to cleave the first C-H bond in methane. We show how the moderate CO adsorption energy and dynamic features of the Pd atom upon CO adsorption and CO oxidation contribute to a low-barrier catalytic cycle for CO oxidation. These structures, which are also observed for Ni and Pt, can lead to a more open coordination environment around the doped-transition-metal center. These thermally stable structures are relevant to the development of single-atom catalysts.

Structure and reducibility of yttrium-doped cerium dioxide nanoparticles and (111) surface

Using periodic density functional calculations, we studied the local structure and preferred locations of yttrium cations and oxygen vacancies in Y-doped cerium dioxide. We employed three kinds of models – a slab of the CeO₂(111) surface and two ceria nanoparticles of different sizes and shapes. In the slab models, which represent the (111) surface of ceria and the corresponding extended terraces on the facets of its nanoparticles, Y³⁺ cation dopants were calculated to be preferentially located close to each other. They tend to surround a subsurface oxygen vacancy that forms to maintain the charge balance. Such general behavior was not found for the nanoparticle models, in which structural flexibility and the presence of various low-coordinated surface centers seem to be crucial and suppress most of the trends. Configurations with four Y³⁺ cations were calculated to be particularly stable when they combined two of the most stable configurations with two Y³⁺ cations. However, no clear trend was found regarding the preferential spatial distribution of the Y³⁺ pairs – they can be stable both in isolation and close to each other. In general, doping by yttrium does not notably change the reducibility of ceria systems but selectively facilitates the formation of oxygen vacancies at the ceria surface in comparison with pristine ceria. Yttrium cations also slightly increase the basicity of the nearby oxygen centers with respect to a stoichiometric ceria surface.

Energetics and mutual locations of Y³⁺ ion dopants and O vacancies in CeO₂ nanomaterials relevant to catalysis have been studied.

The structure and catalytic properties of Rh-doped CeO2 catalysts

The PDF analysis with TEM, XPS and Raman spectroscopy indicates the formation of homogenous Rh_xCe_1−xO_2−δ nanocrystalline solid solutions.