Thermochemical Redox Cycles over Ce-based Oxides☆

Abstract Ce-based materials, that have been extensively investigated for catalytic applications, such as in automotive emission control and more specifically in the oxidation of diesel soot particles, were evaluated with respect to their performance on CO 2 splitting. DFT calculations assisted towards the synthesis of two Zr-doped Ce-oxide formulations (Zr content: 20% and 40% respectively) via the LPSHS method. The materials were evaluated with respect to their CO 2 splitting activity and compared with other Ce-Zr-based reference oxides. The most active materials were further evaluated under different CO 2 splitting temperatures in the range of 800-1480 o C in the course of successive redox cycles. The effect of thermal reduction temperature (T: 1480 o C and 1600 o C) on the most active material was also assessed. The Ce-based oxide formulation with the best performance (Ce 0.8 Zr 0.2 O 2 ) was further investigated with respect to its activity towards H 2 O splitting. In addition, a porous flow-through structure consisting entirely of Ce 0.8 Zr 0.2 O 2 was manufactured and the resulted body was also evaluated and compared to the respective powder in terms of its CO 2 and H 2 O splitting ability.