Improved Catalytic Efficiency of Pt/CeO2 in Toluene Combustion by Its Incorporation in the Structure of Hydrophobic Mesoporous Carbon

Abstract Mesoporous Pt/C‐CeO 2 catalysts for the combustion of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were developed. The materials were obtained by nanoreplication of spherical silica gel. The pores of the SiO 2 template were filled simultaneously with a solution of sucrose and Ce(III) nitrate, and the obtained composites were carbonized. After etching of the SiO 2 template with NaOH, colloidal Pt (1 wt.%) was introduced onto the C‐CeO 2 supports containing different amounts of cerium (0–20 wt.%) using the polyol method. The synthesized materials were examined in terms of their structure (XRD), porosity (low‐temperature N 2 adsorption), morphology (SEM‐EDS, TEM), bulk (XRF, elemental analysis), and surface (XPS) composition. Moreover, hydrophobic properties of their surfaces were determined by immersion calorimetry measurements using solvents of different polarity (i.e., hexane, methanol, water, and acetone). Finally, their catalytic activity in toluene combustion was tested, as well as stability under variable humidity of a purified gas. It was found that the developed materials showed very high activity at low temperatures, while maintaining resistance to H 2 O vapor due to the presence of an appropriately selected active phase and a hydrophobic surface.