Insights into non-crystalline structure of solid solution Ce-Mn co-oxide nanofibers for efficient low-temperature toluene oxidation

Abstract The controllable preparation of efficient non-crystalline solid solution catalysts is a great challenge in the catalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds. In this work, series non-crystalline solid solution structured Ce-Mn co-oxide nanofibers were creatively prepared by adjusting Ce/Mn molar ratios using electrospinning. 0.20CeMnO x (the ratio of Ce to Mn was 0.2) displayed an outstanding low-temperature toluene oxidation activity ( T 90 = 233 °C). The formation of the amorphous solid solution and the unique nanofiber structure both contributed to a large specific surface area ( S = 173 m 2 g -1 ) and high adsorbed oxygen content (O ads /O = 41.3%), which enhanced the number of active oxygen vacancies. The synergies between non-crystalline structure and active oxygen species markedly improved oxygen migration rate as well as redox ability of the catalysts. Additionally, in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectra showed that the absorbed toluene could be completely oxidized to CO 2 and H 2 O with benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, benzoic acid, and maleic anhydride as intermediates. In summary, this study provided an alternative route for the synthesis of non-crystalline metal co-oxide nanofibers. Graphical abstract