Surface-dependence of defect chemistry of nano-structured ceria

The defect chemistry of reduced ceria nanoshapes was investigated using in situ Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. Octahedral- and rod-shaped particles behave similarly upon exposure to CO in terms of formation of anion Frenkel pair defects and oxygen vacancies. This similarity is attributed to the preferential exposure of (111) surfaces in both type of particles. Cube-shaped particles terminated with (100)-oriented surfaces exhibit very different defect behavior in CO, revealing formation of oxygen vacancy defects at the expense of existing anion Frenkel pairs. Octahedra and rods, pre-reduced in H2, can be further reduced with CO. In contrast, pre-reduced cubes can reactively adsorb CO, forming surface-bicarbonate, only via converting Frenkel-pair defects to oxygen vacancies, without any further net reduction of the ceria