Abstract: Pure and CeO2-doped Mn/Al mixed oxides were prepared by the wet impregnation method using finely powdered alumina, manganese, and cerium nitrates. The physicochemical, surface, and catalytic properties of the thermally treated solids (at 500, 800, and 900 ℃) were investigated using XRD, nitrogen adsorption at -196 ℃, and hydrogen peroxide decomposition in an aqueous solution at 30~50 ℃. The Mn oxidation state changed from Mn4+ to Mn2+ on increasing the calcination temperature. There were two unique features associated with CeO2 that are of interest. The first was that it favored the dispersion of manganese oxides deposited on the γ-Al2O3 catalyst calcined at 500 ℃. The second was that it enhanced the formation of Mn3O4 species from Mn2O3 deposited initially on the alumina support calcined at 800 and 900 ℃. Consequently, the specific surface area of the Mn/Al mixed oxides calcined at 500 ℃ was increased by increasing the amount of dopant added. An opposite effect was observed by increasing the calcination temperature from 500 to 900 ℃. The doping followed by calcination at different temperatures brought about an increase in the catalytic activity of mixed oxides. Pretreatments did not modify the mechanism of the catalyzed reaction but changed the number of catalytically active sites without changing the nature of these sites.

Key words: catalytic activity, manganese oxide, activation energy, alumina