Cerium(IV) oxide nanocomposites: Catalytic properties and industrial application

This review article provides a new insight on the application of cerium oxide (CeO2)-metal oxide nanocomposites as catalyst with enhanced reducibility and improved oxygen (O2) storage capacity, especially in the varying chemical reaction processes including combustion, oxidation, epoxidation and redox. The CeO2-metal oxide interaction plays an important role in controlling particle size, O2 availability and coke resistance properties of the catalyst. Strong metal oxide–CeO2 interaction also assists in generating small and highly dispersed particles, resists sintering of catalyst particles during the catalysis process, and consequently improves the O2 availability of the catalyst. Indeed, CeO2 not only provides an active support to heterogeneous catalyst, but also creates a new active site at the metal-support interface to produce stronger nanoparticle bonding through the surface O2 vacancy. This consequently produces a heterogeneous catalytic system with promising reaction rate and catalytic stability in many industrial applications such as CO2 hydrogenation, CO oxidation, biodiesel production, gas reduction, photocatalytic and methane steam reforming.