CH2Cl2 catalytic oxidation over Ce-Ti-Zr mixed oxide catalysts

Ce-Ti-Zr mixed oxide catalysts prepared by sol-gel method were used in catalytic combustion of CH 2 Cl 2 . The characterization reveals that the incorporation of Ce and Zr into TiO 2 anatase or Ti and Zr into CeO 2 fluorite promotes hydroxyl groups, Lewis acidity and surface oxygen through the formation of Ti-O-Zr, Ti-O-Ce and Ce-O-Zr species. Ce-Ti-Zr catalysts show high activity for CH 2 Cl 2 oxidation with the rate of 5.66 × 10 −3 –6.45 × 10 −3 μmol s −1 m −2 at 250 °C and high stability for 50 h. The substitution of surface oxygen for Cl maintains the availability of Ti-OH and thus promotes Cl removal as HCl, which is verified by a great increase in the stable activity of physically closely contacted mixture of separated CeO 2 and TiO 2 or Ti 9 Zr 1 particles. In situ FT-IR shows that CH 2 Cl 2 interacts with Ti-OH to form -O-CH 2 -O-, which is quickly rearranged into formate. Finally, formate is oxidized with surface oxygen into CO or CO 2 .