Complete catalytic oxidation of o-xylene over CeO2 nanocubes

The activities of CeO2 nanocubes calcined at di erent temperatures were tested for catalytic oxidation of o-xylene. Using CeO2 nanocubes as catalysts, complete catalytic oxidation of o-xylene was achieved below 210°C. The CeO2 nanomaterials were characterized by means of BET, X-ray di raction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). From the TEM images, all CeO2 nanocubes displayed cubic morphology irrespective of calcination temperature. The HRTEM images revealed that these nanocubes were enclosed by reactive f001g planes, which may contribute to the intrinsically catalytic property of o-xylene oxidation. The higher activity of CeO2 nanocubes calcined at 550°C than those calcined at above 550°C was attributed to their smaller crystallite size and larger surface area. The influences of reaction conditions were also studied, which found that a higher reaction temperature was necessary for complete catalytic oxidation of o-xylene at higher weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) and o-xylene concentration.