CeO₂/NiO Nanostructures Created Using Eggshell Membrane Towards Enhanced Catalytic Activity

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Catalysis

Background:

• Developing efficient catalysts for CO oxidation is crucial for environmental remediation.
• Nanostructured metal oxides offer unique properties for catalytic applications.
• Eggshell membrane presents a sustainable and accessible templating agent for nanomaterial synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize cerium oxide (CeO2) and CeO2/nickel oxide (NiO) nanostructures using an eggshell membrane template.
• To investigate the effect of calcination temperature and NiO content on the morphology and catalytic performance of CeO2-based nanostructures.
• To evaluate the CO catalytic oxidation activity of the synthesized materials.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing an eggshell membrane as a template for synthesizing CeO2 and CeO2/NiO nanostructures.
• Varying calcination temperatures (e.g., 600 °C and 1100 °C) to control nanostructure morphology and crystallinity.
• Characterizing the nanostructures' morphology and composition.
• Testing the catalytic activity for CO oxidation.

Main Results:

• CeO2 nanosheets transformed into nano necklaces with increasing calcination temperature, exhibiting higher crystallinity.
• CeO2 nanosheets calcined at 600 °C showed optimal catalytic performance.
• CeO2/NiO nanocomposites prepared at 1100 °C demonstrated significantly enhanced CO oxidation activity, with 10% NiO being optimal.
• NiO addition substantially boosted the catalytic performance of CeO2 nanostructures at high temperatures.

Conclusions:

• Eggshell membrane templating is effective for creating CeO2 and CeO2/NiO nanostructures.
• High-temperature synthesis and NiO incorporation create synergistic effects, enhancing CO oxidation catalysis.
• The CeO2/NiO nanocomposite shows great potential as an efficient catalyst for CO oxidation.