Methanol Reactivity on Silica-Supported Ceria Nanoparticles

Ceria (CeO₂) has been used in a number of catalytic processes, either as a support or promoter. For a better understanding of the factors that control the reactivity of ceria, we have used well-ordered CeO₂(111) films and ceria nanoparticles supported on an ordered SiO₂ film, as model catalysts. The systems were examined in the dehydrogenation of methanol to formaldehyde as a test reaction by using the techniques of infrared spectroscopy and temperature programmed desorption. The results revealed low-temperature reactivity (below 450 K) for supported ceria particles that is not present on ordered films, which show reactivity at 565 K. The results indicate that low-coordinated sites play an important role in the methanol reactivity on ceri