Investigation of the synthesis and properties of ternary V-Cu-Ce Oxides of Composition VxCuxCe1-2xO2

Abstract

Aco-precipitation method has been used to prepare ternary mixed oxides based on ceria with the general formula VxCuxCe 1-2xO2, where x was varied between 0.05 and 0.45. The structural and surface properties as well as the morphologies of the solids were examined by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction studies, nitrogen adsorption isotherms, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. For samples where the vanadium and copper content was low (x ≤ 0.3), the surface area increased and the pore distribution shifted towards the micropore range. The sample V 0.05Cu0.05Ce0.9O2 exhibited the highest surface area and the sample V0.45Cu0.45Ce 0.1O2 the smallest. The samples were calcined within the temperature range 473.1073 K. When the vanadium content was increased to x ≥ 0.3 and the calcination temperature set at 673 K, a phase with composition CeVO4 was detected via X-ray diffractometry, in addition to a V2O 5 and a CeO2 phase. The FT-IR spectra confirmed the above results.