Characterization of microstructure and catalytic of cerium oxide obtained by colloidal solution

This study investigated to obtain particles of cerium oxide, for use as catalysts for the combustion of methane using the technique of through polymeric colloidal solution. Obtaining the colloidal system is based on hydrolysis of salts such as cerium acetylacetonate, cerium nitrate in the presence of additives such as polyvinylbutyral (PVB), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyvinyl acetate (PVA), at concentrations of 5, 10 and 15% in aqueous or alcoholic medium. These solutions containing ions of interest were subjected to a heat treatment at 650° C for 30 minutes, with heating rate of 2 ° C/ min. After heat treatment, the fibers were characterized according to their morphology, surface area, crystallinity, weight loss and catalytic activity. Samples obtained from cerium acetylacetonate were more reactive than the cerium nitrate to the combustion of methane, as showed greater conversions and higher temperatures reached during the process, which is of utmost importance since the combustion catalytic methane is used for generating thermal energy. After the reaction with methane, the samples underwent significant change in surface area, probably due to the intensity of combustion reactions of the nitrate and the generation of heat involved in this reaction, which gave rise to coarse particles. During the combustion process using the obtained from particles of cerium acetylacetonate, there was the release of large quantities of nitrogen compared to the results of assays with the particles obtained with cerium nitrate. (author)