Unraveling the Structure-Activity Relationship of CeO 2 Catalysts in the Low-Temperature Combustion of Polymer Wastes

Unraveling the structure-activity relationship of CeO 2 catalysts in the low-temperature combustion is beneficial to the clean incineration of polymer wastes. Herein, the physicochemical properties of CeO 2 catalysts were tailored by adjusting the calcination temperature at 250–750 °C. According to the systematic characterization results, a decrease in the calcination temperature reduced the crystalline size and increased the surface area of CeO 2 catalysts, accompanied by the improvement of surface Ce 3+ and oxygen vacancies and the enhancement of the oxygen activation. Simultaneously, CeO 2 catalysts prepared at low calcination temperature significantly enhanced polymer wastes (LDPE, HDPE, PS and PP) combustion at 250 °C, promoting CO and CO 2 formation and the heat release. It was concluded that the decreased crystalline size, increased surface area, and enhanced oxygen activation promoted the formation and accessibility of active oxygen species on CeO 2 catalysts, which was crucial to the low-temperature combustion of polymer wastes. Graphical Abstract