A resonant photoemission applied to cerium oxide based nanocrystals.

Cerium 4f level occupation determines the properties of cerium oxide based catalysts in a significant way. The Ce 4f level of nanosized cerium oxide particles was investigated with the use of resonant photoelectron spectroscopy in the Ce 4d-4f photoabsorption region. A strong interaction of ceria with different additives, e.g. Pd and Sn, led to a partial Ce4+-->Ce3+ transition that was observed as a significant resonance enhancement of 4f photoemission intensity. Increases of the CO oxidation catalytic activity were observed simultaneously. The ratio of resonance enhancement of Ce photoemission intensity DCe(3+)/DCe(4+) was used to monitor Ce(3+) and Ce(4+) state occupation. The relative parameter DCe(3+)/DCe(4+) was found to be particularly useful in the case of photoemission studies of nanopowder ceria catalysts.