Surface and Catalytic Properties of TiO2–ZrO2 Mixed Oxides

This paper reviews acid–base bifunctional catalysis and surface properties (morphology, composition, specific area, acidity/basicity, site density) on TiO2–ZrO2 (abbreviated as TZ) mixed oxides. The phase change from crystalline single oxides (TiO2 and ZrO2) to amorphous TZ mixed oxide results in decreasing grain size and site density, increasing surface area, acid/base amount and strength, and better activity/selectivity. Different acid–base bifunctional mechanisms (concerted, go-together, stepwise) were proposed to interpret the reaction behavior of various reactions (esterification, dehydration, dehydrogenation, isomerization, dehydrocyclization) over the acid–base bifunctional TZ catalysts.