Synthesis, structure and oxygen-storage capacity of Pr1-xZrxO2-δ and Pr1-x-yPdyZrxO2-δ

Nanocrystalline Pr1-xZrxO2-delta(0 <= x <= 1) and Pr1-x-yPdyZrxO2-delta (x = 0.50, y = 0.02) solid solutions have been synthesized by a single step solution combustion method. The whole range of solid solution compositions crystallize in cubic fluorite structure. The lattice parameter 'a' linearly varied up to x = 1.0. Oxygen-storage capacity (OSC) and redox properties of Pr1-xZrxO2-delta (0.0 <= x <= 0.8) solid solutions have been investigated by temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and are compared with those of Ce1-xZrxO2. Pr1-xZrxO2-delta exhibited H-2 uptake and CO oxidation at a lower temperature than Ce1-xZrxO2. Small amount of Pd ion (y = 0.02) substitution was found to bring down the temperature of oxygen release-storage significantly. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.