Enhanced catalytic performance of cobalt and iron co-doped ceria catalysts for soot combustion

A series of promising Ce–Co–Fe catalysts were successfully synthesized using a cetyl-trimethylammonium-bromide-assisted co-precipitation method and investigated for diesel soot combustion. The surface morphological and structural properties were systematically examined using various techniques: X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, N2 adsorption–desorption, Raman spectroscopy, temperature-programmed reduction and in situ diffuse reflection infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. The catalyst–soot combustion activities were tested in O2 and NO + O2 using a temperature-programmed technique. Nanometer crystalline solid solutions were formed with high surface areas when the Fe and Co cations were co-doped in the ceria lattice. Transition metals doping played a key role in increasing oxygen vacancies and promoting the redox performance of Ce–Co–Fe catalysts. Co–Fe co-doping accelerated the oxidation of soot under both “tight” and “loose” contact conditions. Among all the ceria-based catalysts, Ce80Co15Fe5 showed superior activity with T10 = 256 °C and high selectivity with $$ S_{{{\text{CO}} ₂ }} \, = \,100\% $$ under tight a contact mode. The observed high catalytic activity following co-doping was proved to have occurred because of various reasons such as improved redox properties, increased oxygen vacancies and high surface area. The presence of NO in O2 also promoted soot oxidation, which follows the NO2-assisted mechanism. Moreover, the in situ DRIFTS performed under an isothermal condition in NO + O2 confirmed the strong adsorption capacity for NOx species on the doped ceria catalyst.