Characterization of alpha-Al2O3 supports modified with CeO2 and ZrO2

Abstract

α-Al2O3 is a catalytic support adequate by its high stability, availability, and low cost, although it presents as principal disadvantage its limited surface area and reactivity. These disadvantages in the support lead to catalysts of low metallic dispersion and with weak interaction metal-support. According to characterization results obtained in this work, the addition of small amounts of Ce and Zr oxides to α-Al2O3 leads to CexZr1 − xO2 composites, thus conferring higher reactivity to the surface due to the presence of basic nature sites. This fact together with the well known oxygen storage capacity of these mixed oxides present in composites allow to obtain supports of optimal properties to prevent the sintering and the formation of superficial carbon present in the catalytic deactivation.