Cerium(IV) oxide

Cerium(IV) oxide, also called ceria or cerium dioxide, is a chemical compound made of cerium and oxygen. It has the chemical formula CeO2. It is white or light yellow in color. It is an important commercial product. It is used as an intermediate to make pure cerium from ores.

Preparation

Cerium(IV) oxide can be made by the oxidation of cerium(III) oxide. Also, it can be made by heating cerium(IV) hydroxide.[source?]

It can also be made by heating cerium(IV) oxalate (chemically called thermolysis or calcination).

Uses

Cerium dioxide was added to gas mantles to make them brighter. Gas mantles were used for streetlights in the 19th century, before electric lighting was available.

Cerium dioxide is a mild oxidizing agent through reduction to cerium(III) oxide, Ce2O3. For example, it oxidizes carbon monoxide:

2 CeO2 + CO → Ce2O3 + CO2

This reaction is used in catalytic converters. It can be used in oxidation of natural gas.

Sources

  1. ↑ Assi, Navid; Lahoud, Christophe; Brázda, Petr; Zákutná, Dominika; Rainer, Daniel N.; Hraníček, Jakub; Rohlíček, Jan; Tyrpekl, Václav (2024). "Hydrothermal conversion of cerium oxalate to CeO2: A parade of oxalate and water coordination modes". New Journal of Chemistry. 48 (3): 1071–1075. doi:10.1039/D3NJ04635D.
  2. ↑ "Incandescent Gas Lantern Mantles". ORAU Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity.
  3. ↑ Peer, Michael; Fehn, Thomas; Hofmann, Alexander; Berninger, Burkhard; Kunz, Werner (2024). "Recovery of Cerium from Automotive Catalytic Converters". JOM. 76 (6): 3225–3230. Bibcode:2024JOM....76.3225P. doi:10.1007/s11837-024-06498-2.
  4. ↑ Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-08-037941-9.