Acetone-Treated Au Nanoparticles Supported on CeO2 for the Wet Air Oxidation of Dimethylformamide

Au–CeO2 catalysts have recently emerged as promising candidates for various oxidation reactions. However, their intrinsic selectivity properties remain a key challenge, largely attributed to fragile catalyst structures. Herein, a modified deposition (DM) technique was designed to anchor pretreated Au nanoparticles (refluxed in acetone) onto CeO2 (Au/CeO2–Ace). Under various treatments, the catalysts underwent notable transformations in surface elemental compositions, oxygen vacancies within CeO2, nanoparticle size, and the electronic state of Au. Subsequently, an in-depth analysis was performed to evaluate the activity and selectivity of N2 for the oxidation of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). The results revealed that the catalytic performance is associated with the nanophysical properties of the surface elements, higher oxygen vacancies, and the valence ratio of Au. The Au/CeO2–Ace catalysts demonstrated the highest activity for DMF with 77.5% TOC conversion, TOF 95.6 h–1, and 67% N2 selectivity, while the prepared conventional Au/CeO2 catalyst showed 74.7% TOC conversion, TOF 91.4 h–1, and 36.5% N2 selectivity at 180 °C and 1 MPa O2. Our present study indicates that the fabricated Au/CeO2–Ace catalysts with unique reformed properties can be potentially applicable for DMF treatment and industrial applications.