Facile synthesis of Mn–Fe/CeO2 nanotubes by gradient electrospinning and their excellent catalytic performance for propane and methane oxidation

Nanotubes have been the focus of vital efforts in the catalysis community because of their unique properties. However, owing to the limitations of synthetic methods, most multi-element oxides have rarely been fabricated. In this study, we design a gradient electrospinning method for the controllable synthesis of Mn–Fe/CeO2 nanocatalysts and their application in the combustion of propane and methane. The strategy is rational, and the nanostructure of Mn–Fe/CeO2 can be tuned by simply adjusting the weight ratio of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) during the electrospinning process. Benefitting from its unique structural feature, propane and methane conversions in hollow tubular Mn–Fe/CeO2-P1 (mPVP : mPAN = 1 : 1) are more than 90% at 382 and 411 °C, respectively. The superior propane oxidation performance in Mn–Fe/CeO2-P1 is associated with its hollow tubular structure, high surface oxygen vacancies and excellent low-temperature reducibility.