Study on the reactivity of ultrafine cerium-molybdenum oxide particles in the absence of molecular oxygen

The state and reactivity of lattice oxygen ions in the ultrafine Ce-Mo oxid e particles prepared by the sol-gel method are studied by using X-ray diffr action, laser Raman spectroscopy, temperature-programmed reduction, X-ray p hotoelectron spectroscopy and pulse microreactor tests. It is found that th e lattice oxygen ions in the ultrafine Ce-Mo oxides are the main active spe cies for partial oxidation of toluene to benzaldehyde. By decreasing the si ze of complex Ce-Mo oxide particles to nanometric scale, the reactivity of lattice oxygen ions can be remarkably improved.