Ce1−xCoxOy nanocatalysts: synthesis, characterization and environmental application

Abstract

In the present study, Ce_1−xCo_xO_y nanocatalysts were synthesized by a simple co-precipitation method. The synthesized catalysts were further characterized using various techniques (XRD, FTIR, N₂ adsorption/desorption, SEM, TEM, and EDX) in order to study their structural, micro-structural and textural properties. The catalytic activity of the nanocatalysts along with their degradation kinetics was studied for the catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of paper industry wastewater at mild reaction conditions of 90 °C and 1 atm. Interestingly, mixed oxide catalysts exhibited higher activity than the corresponding single-metal oxides, and the catalyst with a Co/Ce molar ratio of 1 : 1 exhibited maximum removal of color (79%), COD (68%), TOC (66%), AOX (59%) and CHPs (62%). The biodegradability increased appreciably from 0.27 to 0.45, indicating the degradation potential of the nanocatalyst for non-biodegradable compounds. Furthermore, the recyclability of mixed catalysts was ascertained through continuous reuse experiments.