Skip to main content

Ceria-zirconia thin-film crystals for electron microscopy studies of metal-support interactions in model automotive-exhaust catalysts


EMSL Project ID
1805

Abstract

Cerium-zirconium mixed oxides are used to support precious metals and provide oxygen storage in current automotive-exhaust catalysts. Deactivation of these catalysts with time-in-use is a matter of concern, and knowledge of the various modes by which they age is valuable. Fundamental studies of model catalysts can provide such knowledge, as has been demonstrated by recent work on high-surface-area catalysts. More detailed information, however, can best be obtained by examination of low-surface-area planar systems. In the proposed project, we intend to deposit Pd particles on ceria-zirconia thin-film crystals and study the effects of aging on particle-support interaction and morphology by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (in collaboration with Prof. X. Pan, University of Michigan). PNL researchers have recently developed methods for growing such ceria-zirconia thin-film crystals. We anticipate that three standard (9.35mm diameter by 50nm thick) film samples of Ce1-xZrxO2, with x of about 0.3, would be needed to initiate this work.

Project Details

Project type
Exploratory Research
Start Date
2000-02-03
End Date
2003-02-04
Status
Closed

Team

Principal Investigator

George Graham
Institution
University of Michigan

Related Publications

Sun HP, XQ Pan, GW Graham, HW Jen, RW McCabe, S Thevuthasan, and CHF Peden. 2005. "Partial encapsulation of Pd particles by reduced ceria-zirconia." Applied Physics Letters 87(20):Art. No. 201915.
TEM Study of Metal/Support Interaction in Pd/CexZr1-xO2 Model Auto Catalyst