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 CeO
2. 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.
It can also be made by heating cerium(IV) oxalate (chemically called thermolysis or calcination).[1]
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.[2]
Cerium dioxide is a mild oxidizing agent through reduction to cerium(III) oxide, Ce
2O
3. For example, it oxidizes carbon monoxide:
- 2 CeO
2 + CO → Ce
2O
3 + CO
2
This reaction is used in catalytic converters.[3] It can be used in oxidation of natural gas.[4]
Cerium(IV) Oxide Media
Sources
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers at line 630: attempt to index field 'known_free_doi_registrants_t' (a nil value).
- ↑ "Incandescent Gas Lantern Mantles". ORAU Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers at line 630: attempt to index field 'known_free_doi_registrants_t' (a nil value).
- ↑ Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-08-037941-9.
