Ceria-Zirconia Particles Wrapped in a 2D Carbon Envelope: Improved Low-Temperature Oxygen Transfer and Oxidation Activity.

Engineering the interface between different components of heterogeneous catalysts at nanometer level can radically alter their performances. This is particularly true for ceria-based catalysts where the interactions are critical for obtaining materials with enhanced properties. Here we show that mechanical contact achieved by high-energy milling of CeO2-ZrO2 powders and carbon soot results in the formation of a core of oxide particles wrapped in a thin carbon envelope.