The role of cerium in the oxidation of ethanol over SnO2-supported molybdenum oxides

The role of Ce in the system Ce-Mo-Sn-O was studied by means of catalytic o xidation of ethanol. The catalysts were obtained from precipitation of SnCl 4 by addition of ammonia in the presence of (NH4)(2)Mo7O24 and Ce(NO3)(3). Mo concentration was fixed at 8 wt.%, and Ce at 0, 1, 2.7 wt.%. These catal ysts were characterized by XRD, DRS-UV, TPR, CO2 adsorption and Mo superfic ial measurement. It was verified that the presence of Ce changes not only t he texture and the Mo species, but also the basic properties of the Sn-Mo s ystem. The results have also shown that cerium increases both activity and selectivity to acetic acid and acetaldehyde. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.