Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
Using High Resolution Electron Microscopy, we have investigated the structure/function relationships of the Nd2O3/MgO and MgO/Nd2O3 catalyst systems which are active in the oxidative coupling of methane. In both cases catalytic performance was found to depend critically on the morphology of Nd2O3. We demonstrate that high selectivities are associated with a thin disordered film of neodymia on the MgO surface for the Nd2O3/MgO system whilst for the reverse catalyst, the dominant morphology is a highly disordered cubic form of Nd2O3.