Ethanol dehydrogenation over Ag-CeO2/SiO2 catalyst: Role of Ag-CeO2 interface

Abstract Small silver nanoparticles (less than 7 nm) supported on silica as well as silica modified with CeO 2 were prepared by impregnation techniques, characterized by physical-chemical methods, and tested in dehydrogenation of ethanol into acetaldehyde. The addition of CeO 2 was shown to increase the catalytic activity of the Ag/SiO 2 catalyst. The close interaction of the CeO 2 nanoparticles (3–5 nm) with supported silver nanoparticles increased the activity of the Ag/CeO 2 /SiO 2 catalyst in both dehydrogenation and oxidative dehydrogenation of ethanol into acetaldehyde due to participation of the Ag-CeO 2 interface in the ethanol activation or/and the spillover of active oxygen.