| Nanocrystalline ceria-based oxides are widely used in automotive three-way catalytic converters to reduce the emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and unburned hydrocarbons. The primary function of ceria-based oxides in the catalytic process is to adjust the local oxygen partial pressure and maintain an air-to-fuel ratio near the stoichiometric value (∼14.5) required for the optimal catalyst performance for carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon oxidation, and nitrogen oxides reduction. In this dissertation, a study of the relationship between the nanoscale structure, chemistry, and the redox behavior on high surface area ceria and ceria zirconia is presented. Precipitation and spray freezing methods were used to synthesize nanocrystalline ceria and ceria zirconia solid solution powders respectively. The effect of thermal treatments in oxidizing and reducing atmospheres on the reducibility of the materials has been systematically investigated. X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the average structure and reducibility. In situ environmental transmission electron microscope was exploited to visualize the dynamic changes during redox processes at the atomic level. This resulted in the identification of the nanoscale structure and chemistry for the most active nanoparticles in these oxides. The correlation between ex situ macroscopic redox properties and in situ redox behavior of individual nanoparticles is demonstrated.;The addition of zirconia to ceria clearly enhances the reducibility and thermal stability of ceria. A fundamental difference between ceria and ceria zirconia during in situ redox processes is related to oxygen vacancy ordering. Ceria showed oxygen vacancy ordering during reduction, whereas ceria zirconia did not. It is suggested that the absence of oxygen vacancy ordering might be a fundamental factor for improved redox properties of ceria zirconia compared with pure ceria. The 50% ceria-50% zirconia solid solution sample shows better low-temperature redox properties than the 70% ceria-30% zirconia solid solution sample. The reducibility of the solid solution samples was strongly influenced by high temperature redox cycling and reoxidation conditions. In the 50% ceria-50% zirconia solid solution sample, the low temperature reducibility after high temperature redox cycles was identified and correlated with nanostructure and composition. The presence of fluorite-like and pyrochlore-like phases was found to play a critical role in controlling the improved low temperature reducibility and decreased reduction percentage. This study also demonstrated that in situ environmental transmission electron microscope is a powerful tool to investigate the oxide catalyst gassolid reactions with subnanometer resolution under near reactor conditions. |
