Low-temperature catalytic oxidation of toluene over mesoporous MnOx-CeO2/TiO2 prepared by sol-gel method

Sol-gel-made MnOx/TiO2 and MnOx-CeO2/TiO2 catalysts were used for low-temperature catalytic oxidation of toluene. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption-desorption, transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The addition of ceria into MnOx/TiO2 could greatly improve its activity. Toluene conversion at 180 degrees C increased dramatically from 57.6% with ceria-free catalyst to 89.4% with the most active ceria-modified catalyst (Ce/Ti = 0.05). The enrichment of well-dispersed amorphous nonstoichiometric manganese oxides and available active oxygen species on the surface of catalysts were considered as main reasons of the enhanced activity after ceria addition. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.