Physicochemical properties of the surface of the (Y,La0.1)Ce x Zr1−x O2−δ(x = 0.1–0.7) and Y0.1Pr0.3Zr0.6O2−δ complex oxide systems

The physicochemical properties of the surface of the Y0.1CexZr1−xO2−δ, La0.1CexZr1−xO2−δ (x=0.1–0.7), and Y0.1Pr0.3Zr0.6O2−δ. complex oxide systems were studied using IR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. An appreciable enrichment of the surface of the solids in rare-earth-metal cations (cerium or praseodymium) during the synthesis was revealed. While cations are uniformly spread over the surface of cerium-zirconium solid solutions, the Y0.1Pr0.3Zr0.6O2−δ surface is covered by the clusters or even a phase of praseodymia. Reductive treatment in hydrogen with subsequent reoxidation results in the segregation of cerium ions on the Y0.1Ce0.3Zr0.6O2−δ surface at a temperature as low as 770 K.